Boundless: A Jogan Fanfiction (SEASON 1)
by eonsofmemories
Summary: A saga of finding your soul-mate in the most unlikeliest of places. Season 1.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! Another Jogan story! I have this as a Leolivia story, but a lot of ppl were requesting to have it on Jogan too, so here ya go! :)**

**OOC. **

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**NOTES: **

**Gardenia is a fictional town in US – where the roots of Logan and Jasmine's relationship all began. **

**A large backdrop of this story is Christianity/Catholicism. I've tried my best to be accurate in terms of the religion and not offend it, but there are some scenes that need to be played out in a certain way, so I can't get around that. Bottom line – I in no way intend to insult or disrespect Christianity/Catholicism, and everything written in this chapter, and the chapters to come, is purely done for entertainment purposes and the plot of the story.**

**I know a lot of you will have millions of questions about Lindy - her character has a lot of mystery, suspense, and thrill which is yet to be unravelled in the future. For now, she won't be in this story. She WILL come in the future tho. **

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**Boundless: A Jogan Fanfiction**

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Prologue

Logan is a rich kid, Jasmine is a lower middle class girl… Logan hates the concept of love and has slept around all his life and, on the other hand, Jasmine totally believes in love and that love happens only once and it needs to be nurtured, and cherished for a lifetime.  
Logan's family, the Watson family, is a rich high flying family living in L.A. and is headed by Bob and Nora Watson. Nora and Bob have two sons, Joshua and Logan. Bob also knows about Logan's wayward ways and wants his son to settle down with a girl who can show him the path and make him the man that he is capable of becoming. Bob has had a beautiful relationship with Jasmine and a situation arises wherein he feels that she is the best for his son. And thus begins an unlikely but passionate coupling of two equally headstrong protagonists who don't see eye to eye on anything, let alone Love. The story follows their journey from hate to discovering love. From a NO… to a YES.

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**Chapter 1: Wedding Crasher**

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**Location: London, England **

He lay in deep slumber, his legs sprawled across his bed as the incessant noise of his alarm clock ringtone reached his ears. _Alarm clock ringtone? Since when did his alarm clock make music or have tunes? _He was too tired to reason with his mind, and made an effort to reach the alarm clock on his bed stool beside him with an outstretched arm. His head was still buried under his pillow in aggravation, as he struggled to reach his alarm clock and stop that pestering noise. His hands finally grabbed the circular object, and he fidgeted with it with his hands until it was face down on the oak surface.

Finding peaceful slumber again, he retracted his arm back to his bed.

However, the sound didn't stop. The tune kept going on and on like a ringtone. "Man, who could be calling this early?" He groaned to no one particular but himself, realizing that his phone was going off. He reached for his cellular as he extended his arm for the second time that morning. His hand continually obtained empty air as he tried to feel for his black, obsolete object; at last, he felt his phone in his fingers, and firmly grasped it, shutting off that noise that had been disturbing his slumber permanently.

"Hello?" He grumbled, putting his phone to his ear, his eyes weary and full of sleep.

Not a second later, his eyes shot wide open with utter shock as the words of the person on the other line sank into his ears. He immediately raised his upper body to get up, "WHAT! MARRIED?! Nononono you can't do this. I'm coming right now!" A split second later, he abruptly got out of his bed in a hurry, as if he had a life and death situation on his hands. His feet met the smooth, cool floor. It was a cream and golden-coloured hardwood floor. He was in such a hurry that he almost slipped on his two feet, but quickly regained his balance. Reaching for his phone on his bed under the covers, he swiftly left his posh and elegant dorm room, dashing out as if his life depended on it.

**Meanwhile… **in another part of the world, one more person had quite a busy agenda for the day, and was in quite the hurry.

**Locations: Gardenia, United States of America(1) (female) ; London, England (male)**

She grabbed her scarf that matched her outfit for the day off the clothesline on her terrace, humming a tune in the process.

_She didn't know who he was…_

He played with the fabric of his shirt, fastening the buttons at the wrists. Hurriedly, he slipped on his watch and tied the laces of his shoes.

_but he was out there somewhere – her soul mate, the one person she would want to spend her life with for eternity._

She smiled to herself as she left the roof, and carefully stepped into her room so as not to make a sound, hastily grabbing her bag off her study table in her room, as she was in a hurry to reach somewhere.

_Her heart believed so. _

She walked through the courtyard of her home; peering behind the curtains, she watched as her mother was informing someone that the groom's family was coming to see Jasmine today at exactly 6:00 P.M. sharp, and her father was engrossed in reading from the Holy Bible, his spectacles drooping down on his nose.

**(AN: The whole premise of the story is largely based on Jasmine's arranged marriage – I know the concept of arranged marriages might not coincide with Christianity/Catholicism, but I really need it for the story, so no disrespect intended; done for entertainment purposes. )**

A grin appeared on her lips as she slyly stepped out the door, making each step forward with caution so that no one would notice her leave. Children squealed in delight upon seeing her ride her pink and white coloured bicycle with a matching pink basket at the front down the street.

_There would be nothing new about it – it would just happen. No trials or tribulations. _

She rang her bell on her bike to say hi to the munchkins. Her brown, chestnut hair blew from the wind; yellow-tinted flats on her feet; dangling earrings on her ears; and her rose pink, luscious lips curved upwards into an innocent yet confident smile.

_That was how she imagined her story - A passionate story of love. _

Carrying a white bag on his right shoulder, he ran like the wind, as fast as his legs could carry him down the bright, sunny London road bridge that surpassed the body of water beneath him; she pedaled down the busy, honking streets of Gardenia, moving past countless vehicles of all kinds – trucks, bicycles like her own, pedestrians, cars, Jeeps, you name it.

_Whether it be her tranquil nature, or her passionate nature…_

The silhouette of his body ascended down the steps as he hurriedly jumped down to reach his destination. He still had a long way to go. Moreover, she continued to pedal down the narrow lanes, less traffic now imminent.

_Whether it be her happiness, or her grief… _

He shuffled his way past the busy streets, bumping shoulders with crowds of people as he was in a rush; she continued to pedal down the asphalt roads of Gardenia, a peaceful calm surrounding her as she felt tranquility.

_Whatever life he would lived, he would live… _

He hurriedly dodged his fellow campus students as he ran through the beautiful, evergreen campus; she pushed her legs harder to pedal faster down the roads.

_Whatever he would do, he would do for her…_

No time to waste, he sprinted through the London streets further, his run now accelerating into a heavy jog as if he was running a marathon; she continued to pedal down, eager to reach her destination.

_Boundlessly. Happiness, grief, his life, his actions – everything would soon be boundless._

People sitting in patio's on the side of the street filled with various shops and restaurants weirdly watched him as he sped down the streets as if his life depended on it. Both individuals pedaled and ran in their respective locations; it was crucial that both of them reach their desired destinations as soon as possible.

Little did they know, that their destinations and destinies would soon cross paths very soon.

_Everything between them would be boundless, no limits, no exceptions, no expectations. A journey of boundless love._

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Seated in the back suit of his shiny white in colour, luxury, BMW car, Bob Watson was talking over the phone to his dear friend Shannon in Gardenia – they were so close and he loved her like a sister. Shannon told him how Jasmine, her daughter, was getting married soon (an arranged marriage at that) – and that the groom's family was coming to see her for the first time today.

After reassuring her that everything would go by smoothly and that he would pray to God for the same, Bob looked at the screen on his phone. His finger hovered over the contact number of Shannon's daughter Jasmine, whose contact details were displayed on the phone. However, before he could call her, the image of his son's Dean popped up on his iPad on the empty seat beside him. His gaze wavered to the screen as he took it in his hands, surprised to see that the Dean of his son's college was video calling him via Skype.

"Mr. Smith? Now what has my boy done now?" He sighed, knowing he mustn't be in class. "Where is my boy?"

* * *

"I'm right here!" Garrett shouted, clad in a black tuxedo suit, his hair gelled up to perfection. He ran down the wedding aisle and finally arrived to his bride at the wedding altar. It was a wedding on the lake, and he couldn't be happier it seemed.

"Where have you been? I've searched for you everywhere!" She immediately interrogated like a clingy girlfriend as he ran up to her. His bride had a heavy Polish accent, seeing that she was a foreign exchange student at an architecture school in the same city.

"Darling," He appeased her, looking into her eyes. "I was just thinking about our future life together, and it's going to be _beau-tiful_. Come, let's get married." They both turned towards the priest in front of them.

"Before I solemnize this wedding, I need to ask – does anyone have a problem with this wedding?" He said in a monotone voice.

"Problem?" Garrett shook his head, as the thought itself was incredulous. "I don't think anyone here has a problem," he answered to the Priest, looking back over his shoulder at the numerous guests attending the wedding – all of which who were the bride's family and friends.

The bride's left hand was gently clasped in Garrett's, her face full of blush.

However, their happiness was short lived upon hearing those dreadful words – "I HAVE A PROBLEM!"

The smile on Garrett's face faltered when he heard the words, but was confused as to where the voice was exactly coming from. It was quite familiar. The male voice seemed to come from the… sky? Hearing the turbulence from an air vehicle, everyone turned their attention towards the helicopter flying in the sky, approaching the wedding venue from afar. Everyone stood up from their seats to look at the white and blue coloured chopper nearing them. Some gaped away, while others put a hand on their forehead and narrowed their eyes at the flying object in the sky. Everyone was left utterly shocked… to say the least. Who could have such a big problem with the wedding that they would need to hire a helicopter? Who was sitting in the vehicle? And why?

A firm hand grasped the open door of the chopper, and then the other hand grasped on the other side. The individual seated in the cockpit of the helicopter now turned his body, sticking his leg towards the open sky in front of him. Sticking his other leg towards the front as well, he got up from his seat and stood, looking at the beautiful scene before him.

And that boy was none other than **Logan Watson. **Flamboyant, charismatic, and charming were just some of the adjectives that could be used to describe him. He believed in living life to the fullest.

His eyes twinkled with charisma. A smile played on his lips as he stood, and his dirty blonde hair blew strongly from the wind, enjoying the breeze in the air. Deep down, he was a nice guy at heart. The people that stood below him looked like small ants to him.

"I have a problem!" He declared through the microphone piece in his ear that acted as a megaphone so that everyone below him could hear.

Garrett watched in horror and shock as Logan stood right at the edge of the open door of the chopper – _what is he doing! He's gonna get himself killed! _

"_I _have a problem with this wedding!" He objected.

The guests looked him up and down as they could faintly make out that he was wearing jeans and a white shirt. If they would have gotten a good look at him, which they soon would, he was a definite looker.

His smile turned into a wide grin all around as he placed his feet on the ledge and released his arms, extending them laterally, barely touching the blue and white metal of the chopper.

Logan was one person who believed in living life _boundlessly_ – no expectations, no fear.

Bracing himself with no fear, he jumped down into the body of water beneath him. His arms spread out laterally to the side as he descended down and hovered slightly in the air.

The guests that were standing closer to the lake than others gaped wide open as Logan dived into the water with a loud splash – their mouths open in the biggest o-faces imaginable, appalled at the boy's actions.

Logan emerged out of the water seconds later, standing on his two feet – his lower body still submerged in the cool water of the lake. Profusely shaking his head left and right like a dog would when wet, he moved one slow step at a time with charisma towards the wedding venue in front of him. Finally reaching the steps that led to the connecting platform to the venue, he ascended the steps with style as he raked his hands through his hair in a backward fashion, combing and styling it with his fingers. Everyone gaped with large o-faces, jaws dropped as Logan walked up the aisle as if it was a runway, and he a international supermodel. Needless to say, the female guests swooned as they noticed Logan's white shirt had stuck to his chest like glue, courtesy of the adhesion of water. They felt like fainting right then and there.

The bride looked at Logan in an appalled manner as he stood in front of her, clearly upset with why her wedding was being delayed.

"I have a problem!" He desperately objected again, looking at both Garrett and his bride, and then at the Priest behind him. "Because the one who's getting married is my love!"

The bride looked at him in shock, she'd never seen him before in her life! Garrett looked at her in bewilderment, moving his fingers gestured towards her and then moved them in Logan's direction.

"I don't know him, I swear!" His bride tried to justify.

"Lies, lies, all lies!" Logan cried out in a dramatic manner like a Shakespearean tragedy hero. "So many promises we made to each other. And what, now you just swallow and spit them out?"

Garrett looked at his bride with anger, shocked that his girlfriend had betrayed and cheated on him.

"But I deserve to ask one question." He declared, looking briefly at Garrett, and then profusely at the bride.

Garrett and the bride looked at each other in apprehension as Logan glared them down.

The bride gasped loudly as Logan abruptly and suddenly got down on his knees in less than a nanosecond, clasping Garrett's hands desperately – "WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME? Why did you break my heart!"

Everyone standing by their chairs by the aisle made disgusted faces at Logan's action, appalled at what he was both saying and doing. His intentions were clear miles away.

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? Explain this to me right now! What is this, WHO is this?!" The bride began to hyperventilate, flailing her arms in the air, shocked at this new revelation. Garrett was… like this? Oh, she'd been such a fool!

"Baby!" he consoled her, desperately letting go of Logan's hands firmly latched onto his. "I-I don't know him!" He turned back to look at Logan on his knees, "Who are you!"

Logan latched his hands onto Garrett's again, standing back up on his two feet. "You could stop lying now, my love." He said in a seductive voice.

Garrett became frightened and scared of him as he came even closer, their bodies having minimal space between them. He shivered and stuttered as Logan spoke again seductively grazing his hand on Garrett's heart, "I'm your only love."

"What about all those moments we spent together?" He said tenderly, as he softly put a hand on his right cheek, his hand lingering there.

Garrett immediately pushed him away violently – "H-he-hey-y-yy! Wh-wha-whaa-whaat moments, huh!" "Moments," he mimicked in sarcasm. _Yeah right! I do NOT roll that way! _He then turned to his bride, clearing up the confusion, "He's lying, man!"

"But who is he!" His bride objected.

"Oh, I haven't come alone." Logan said, coming closer to his so-called 'love' once again. "I've brought the symbol of our love with me," he told him, pinching his chin.

"S-s-sy-symm-symbol? What kind of symbol?" He stuttered, terrified of their proximity, and what Logan was doing.

"Look over there!" Logan turned his shoulders around to face the view behind him, "the proof of our love," his hands and head leaned on his shoulder.

Garrett looked ahead, and saw an approaching golf cart driving towards them, and it seemed like there were heart-shaped _balloons_ all around it?

Logan winked and chuckled seeing Garrett's state as he looked curiously at the golf cart approaching them. The European female driving the cart stopped it a couple meters in front of them, a big heart shaped poster linked to the back of the golf-cart. The banner was the size of a bulletin board one would see in metropolitan cities like New York, and was shrouded by a white cloth, as what the poster actually was was yet to be revealed.

_A poster? But what's on it? _

Logan eagerly awaited with a wide grin on his face as the young female behind the wheel got out from her seat and walked all around the cart, finally stopping right by the poster.

She revealed the poster, taking away the white sheet from the poster, revealing its contents. She did it just like a model would before revealing what's in the briefcase in an episode of 'Deal or No Deal'.

Garrett had the biggest o-face ever imaginable as he gaped at the two photos on the poster. The one on top had Garrett almost kissing Logan's cheek, while the other had Logan almost kissing Garrett's cheek.

"Oh no!" The bride shouted, looking away. She couldn't even look. In fact, her bridesmaids, guests, everyone gaped in surprise seeing the romantic poster.

Garrett gritted his teeth nervously, realizing that this was Logan's trick. He turned his head towards Logan, who had a wide smile on his face and was quirking his eyebrows at him, as he was proud of what he had managed to do in such a less amount of time. Garrett glared at him, fisting his right hand, air punching him. _You're so dead, Logan._ Logan laughed in return.

Both of the boys' attention turned towards Garrett's so-called bride as she spoke.

"Cheater! You cheater! You lied to me!" Logan let go of Garrett and stood beside him, witnessing their breakup.

"What is this!" She turned him around by the shoulder, "You liar, you cheat! I HATE YOU!" Giving a hefty slap on the cheek, she fled down the aisle.

"Baby wait!" Garrett immediately started to run after his ex-bride who had her posse of bridesmaids behind her, but was swiftly turned back around by Logan.

Logan put his arm around his shoulder, and started to walk in the other direction, away from the wedding venue. He whispered in a low voice, "Where are _you _going, my friend. Just follow my lead and do as I say, ok. Just let me do what I'm doing."

Garrett looked like a confused puppy as he listened on, "HOW MANY TIMES have I told you to _not_ get involved with girls who drag you straight to the wedding altar." He let go of his arm around his shoulder and stood in front of him, "If it wasn't for me, you'd have went from happily single to _unhappily married_."

Garrett pondered the thought then looked up at a smiling Logan, "Oh yeah! You saved me, bro! I could've been majorly done for my whole life." Logan grinned in response, his best friend was back.

"Hey, but where did you get those kissing pics?" Garrett asked angrily, his attention towards the poster still near them.

"That.. is just the magic of photoshop, my friend," Logan leisurely answered, putting his arms around his shoulders in a friendly manner.

"'Magic of photoshop,'" he grumbled in mimickry, taking his hands off his shoulders. _Grow up, Logan! _"And I've been calling you for so long! Where _is _your phone?"

Logan's _friend_ that had revealed the poster to everyone was standing beside the golf cart. Her eyes drifted to the iPhone that was in her hands – a contact by the name of "Darling" was calling. "Darling? Who's this _darling_?"

She picked up the phone and put it to her ear, "Hello?"

"Now who are _you?_" Logan's father spoke on the other line. _Yet another girlfriend of his perhaps? Logan was again up to no good_. "Where's Logan?"

"First you tell me." She barked rudely at him. "Who are _you? _Who is this _darling_?"

Bob sighed profusely with a slightly annoyed face, "I'm Logan's father speaking."

The pupils of her eyes immediately dilated with shock, _ah shit. _

"Please give the phone to Logan." He curtly asked in a calm manner.

"Ohh! Sorry, Mr. Watson. Sorry sorry sorry! … Yeah."

"Darling!" She called out to Logan, "it's Darling calling!"

Logan nervously wavered his eyes, dashing to get his phone back from her.

"Why'd she have to pick up Dad's call?" He grumbled quietly to himself as he took his phone in his hands and turned away from her.

"Hi Dad!" He answered as he walked forward.

"Where are you?"

"I um, Dad, uh I'm in college – in class." He said coolly.

"I see. Turn on your skype."

The colour from Logan's face immediately flushed out, and he nervously looked himself down as he noticed that his t-shirt was still drenched.

"I want to see you sitting in your classroom," his father urged, knowing quite well that he was lying.

"Skype?" He stammered and stuttered. "I'm in class, how can I?"

"Stop lying to me Logan. C'mon, turn on your Skype. I want to see you _now._" His father declared, giving him an ultimatum.

Having no choice but to agree, Logan answered "o-okay Dad."

* * *

Bob was walking towards his cabin, when his iPad in hand alerted with a skype call. He opened it to find the screen of Logan gleaming at him with a smile, waving his fingers at him. "Hi Dad!"

"How's it going, my boy?"

"Nothing much. I just thought of getting some fresh air." He looked at his screen more closely, seeing Logan leaning against a balcony railing overlooking a lake.

The image of Mr. Smith calling on his skype appeared in the bottom right corner of the screen. He enlarged the faculty member's image and paused his call with his son, so that the images of Mr. Smith and Logan were now side by side in one frame.

"Mr. Watson. Your son is just not interested in studies." The Dean spoke with a heavy British accent. "He never comes to college, and whenever he does, he's only interested in being with the girls."

He paused the conversation just like he had with Logan, and unmuted his conversation with Logan. "The thing is, I was getting a headache from all this studying. College, study. College, study. That's what you sent me here for right – MBA? That's what I'm doing," he told his father with a flamboyant smile.

Putting a hand in his pockets as he walked closer to his cabin and turning a corner, "my boy. I'm sure if you've studied so hard, your grades should be top-notch as well."

Logan's face immediately faltered, knowing his grades were nowhere near up to par. "Oh Dad! Wow, you're too good! You already know what I'm gonna say to you!" He told him enthusiastically as he stepped away from the balcony and stepped onto a rock ledge in front of him.

Bob sat in his plush leather chair behind his desk in his cabin, switching on his plasma TV to see the images that were on his iPad now on his plasma TV.

He paused his conversation with Logan, and went back to Mr. Smith's.

"I was just about to tell you the result, Mr. Watson."

"I aced the entire university, aced the entire college!" Bob paused Mr. Smith's conversation again, and went back to Logan.

"Your son has _flunked_. He has FAILED!" Mr. Smith told Logan's father in an excruciatingly angry manner as he returned the conversation back to Mr. Smith. "He has brought shame on this whole college – "

PAUSE.

"You should'a seen the look on that Smith's face Dad! It was all scrunched up in shock with wide eyes and everything! He wasn't even expecting me to pass!" Logan cracked up, bursting into laughter.

PAUSE.

"Mr. Watson – it is no longer a surprise." He said disappointingly.

PAUSE.

"Your son just _loves_ to surprise you," Logan told his father.

"Of course. I know. You've 'aced' it." He told his son, and Logan smirked with happiness on the other side. "When are you coming back to America?"

"Whenever you say Dad! I can come in a couple of days."

"Tomorrow. You're coming to America tomorrow." He declared. "I really feel like embracing you," he said with a half-sarcastic tone seething out of his voice.

Logan sighed warmly, missing his family back home. "Me too, Dad. I feel like hugging you tight too. I'll come home _tomorrow._ Bye dad!" He waved his fingers goodbye, and Bob shut his TV off.

His eyes suddenly drifted towards the purple beautifully-wrapped package on his desk. He opened it delicately, and found a Cross Pendant Fused Glass Pendant inside. He took it in his hands, and eyed it with admiration. It was beautiful. Beautiful as the one who had sent the religious gift. Peering inside the package more, he found a letter.

He picked the piece of paper from the package, and put the pendant back in the package momentarily.

_Hi, Bob. _

_This is a cross pendant that I bought for you. This Friday, I'll be going to the sacred Church and will pray for your well-being._

_Goodbye._

In Gardenia - Her boat finally landed onto the shore, and she firmly placed her foot at the shore in the water.

Without a second thought, Bob knew only one person who could be so thoughtful of him.

"_Jasmine._" He voiced out.

"She went all the way to the Church on the other side of town without telling anyone?"

She walked inside, and knelt down on her knees at the very front facing Mother Mary. She bent her head down and clasped her hands together, intertwining her fingers to pray silently.

_Well Mother Mary. I prayed for Bob's well-being. Now let's talk about me. Mom says that my life is about to change_.

And that exact change was in London – Logan was raising his hands in the air, feeding off the energy of his peers as he partied the night away. He did numerous fist pumps in the air as he stood on a table, numerous of his friends cheering him on below.

Jasmine opened her eyes, and they revealed themselves. They were a chocolate brown, full of innocence and simplicity. She was a carefree, modern, and lively girl. She raised her head.

_Mom says that Jesus is going to send someone for His darling child. _

And that SOMEONE was currently enjoying himself with his friends, partying away under the discolights that scanned the dance floor.

_I hope that who Jesus sends, I hope he's the best guy in the world!_ She inwardly told Mother Mary in her mind, while she started to light a candle with the matchstick.

Logan's friends lifted him on their hands, as he soared through the crowds, chanting his name.

_He will be, won't he? _She lifted the lit candle and placed it by the many other candles in front of her.

Logan continued to party away, it was pure bliss fist pumping and dancing with his friends.

Jasmine stood up, turning around to leave down the aisle filled with pew's on each side of her.

* * *

Two very similar people, both strong-headed, both lively, carefree, and both individuals immensely loved Bob. However, they clearly belong to two different worlds. But what did destiny have in store for them? How will they fall in love?

How would the journey of boundless love begin?

Wait and Watch.

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**So. We've always read and watched those stories and movies about how opposites attract. We usually see how two people fall in love, and THEN separate. However, this story shows how two people who are so similar REPEL. How will this repulsion turn into boundless attraction? **

**Read on to find out. **

**Please leave a review if you liked the chapter, didn't like it, etc. I love to hear feedback from y'all. What was your favourite line, favourite part? **

**5+ reviews for the next chapter! :) **


	2. Mr Right

**Chapter 2: Mr. Right? **

**Hi everyone! Thank you so much for the overwhelming response for this fic!  
**

**NOTE: Just want to point out again – the backdrop is heavily based on Christianity & Catholicism – done purely for entertainment purposes – no disrespect intended!**

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Realizing that she forgot that her possibly future groom's family is coming to see her today, she quickly got into the row boat that she arrived in just as it was leaving the shore.

It was now quarter to six, and Jasmine was leisurely paddling in the lake with her oar, one stroke at a time; The oar guy who had brought her to the church via his boat was sitting on the other side, paddling away with his oar. Hearing her cellphone ring, she stopped her stroke midway, reaching her left hand for her phone in her bag.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Jazz, this isn't fair. Mom's glaring me down as if everything that's going down here is all my fault." Her sister worriedly complained.

"I'm coming," she reassured her. "I'm almost at the shore." Jasmine continued to paddle through the waters with one hand grasped onto the oar. "So – what's the scene at home?"

"Jazz, we've got a pretty bad scene on our hands." Her sister turned over her shoulder to see the groom and his mother and father sitting on the living room couch, "they've been here for half an hour already."

Jasmine's eyes immediately dilated in surprise, her oar hovering in the air. "Oh dang! Such keeners – they came early? Have they come curtly or rudely? Oh, and they didn't bring their whole bandwagon of family, did they?"

"Nah, Jazz. But one thing's for sure – (turning head over shoulder to look at the boy and his parents) – they've definitely forgotten their manners as soon as they saw the food." Riley continued, "they've gulped down 3 plates of falafels and 2 plates of pastries already!" She said with a smile.

Jasmine laughed, and the sister-duo shared a few laughs as they made fun of the family sitting in the room behind Riley.

"Okay tell me something – what about the guy?" She asked excitedly, curious to know what her possibly future husband was like.

"Oh him? He's in his own dreamland – he's been staring at your photo in his hands the whole time," she told her as she looked back briefly to see Max dreamily gazing at Jasmine's photo like no tomorrow.

"So? Let him look all he wants." Rolling her eyes, she went on, "if the photo doesn't have a problem, then why would I?"

"_Jazzzzzz._ It's gonna be a HUMONGOUS problem if you don't get home in time!"

"Yeah yeah, I'm coming." She hung up quickly, hurriedly putting the phone back in her bag. She clasped her hands back onto the oar more firmly than before in a determined manner, and dipped into the water to push the boat faster.

Arriving at the docks, the small boat finally came to a stop, coinciding along with the other many boats lined along the shore. Jasmine gave the oar to the man across from her and then grabbed her bag lain beside her. She stood up firmly so as not to topple, and handed the man a one dollar bill.

"Here ya go – 1 dollar."

She stepped out in a rush to leave, but the man's words stopped her in her tracks.

"It's two dollars, ma'am." He objected.

"Well I used one of the oars to row the boat, so that why you get a dollar." She hurriedly replied in justification. She hastily got out of the boat and onto the wooden dock as the boat rower still objected, "But ma'am my two dollars – "

"I'm late!" She answered back as she ran forward, towards her bike.

* * *

Later that night on the terrace of their home, Jasmine was massaging her mother's tired shoulders from all the hectic shenanigans of the day. And all for what? For her daughter to not even come home in time to see the boy and his family? All that hard work for nothing.

"I said I'm sorry, Mom. _Mother? _I know I made a mistake." Jasmine apologized in a pleading manner to her mother as she massaged her shoulders and back, but her mother remained miff, and looked ahead.

"_Yeah,_" her younger sister Riley scoffed, rubbing it in, "ya made a HUGE mistake all right." It wasn't everyday she got to see her darling, perfect sister get the cold shoulder. She was really getting a kick out of this, but she loved her sister all the same.

"Oh, shut it." She glared as she kneaded harder into the muscles of her mother's shoulder and back. "Rub it in, why don't you."

"She's right," her mom intervened, finally speaking after a long silence. "If you would have been home, then the alliance would have been fixed on the spot." She disappointingly said, knitting the sweater in her hands.

Jasmine groaned, "How could it just 'be fixed', just like that?" She opened her mouth to speak again, "And all you care about is their approval or disapproval, what about _my_ approval?"

Hearing Jasmine's forsaken words, Shannon's hands lingered and froze midway as she was using the needles to knit the sweater.

"Has anyone even bothered to ask me if I approve of this alliance or not?" Her mother pondered at Jasmine's words. "What kind of guy _I_ want?" Jasmine grumbled.

Shannon abruptly turned around in her seat to face her, appalled that she had the audacity to say such forsaken words – "Oh dear Lord!" She cried out. "Riley, go and close the door right now!"

Scared of her outburst, Riley hurriedly went to close the door as her mother continued, "Your great-aunt is here, she'll hear everything!" She was very conservative, and the notion of a love marriage was itself taboo to her.

Once she closed the door, Jasmine looked at her mother in fear as she glared at her. She looked down unable to meet her smoldering eyes, when all of a sudden she felt her nudge her shoulder playfully. "Now tell me," she said with a smile. "What kind of boy do you want?"

The trio laughed at this lighthearted moment.

Blush crept on her cheeks as she thought of her version of Mr. Right. "Mom, I do have an image of him in my mind," she gushed. "**Completely blurry and vague**_." _

Blurry. Just like Logan's glistening silhouette as he descended the steps of his residence at sunrise under the blue sky, ready to go back home.

She stood up and started to walk around her mother and sister, ecstatic in explaining her dream boy to them, "**There's this way he carries himself**."

Logan stepped foot into the airport halls, walking with style. Every woman's head would turn when he would walk in. Charismatic, electrifying, magnetic.

"**You know, flamboyant - the hero types**." _My modern knight in shining armour. _

Logan stood on the escalator with his suitcase on the floor of the step he was standing on. Wherever he went, wherever he stood, he always attracted attention towards himself because of his exuberance, confidence, and stylishness. Clad in fitted jeans, a rusty brown v-neck and a casual, stylish orange-coloured Fit Zip Jacket, he walked on with a charming smile, proceeding towards his check-in.

"**Always a smile on his face**." She described to them as she walked towards her balcony.

Logan happily handed the airline agent his passport and visa, eager to get home.

Garrett jolted Logan as he stood in front of the woman behind the check-in desk, surprising him from behind. After the initial surprise of seeing him, Logan smiled and laughed. There was never a dull moment in _his _life.

The voice of the check-in agent rung in Logan and Garrett's ears while they were laughing with each other, causing their eyes to shift towards her.

"That's all good and fine sir, but you'll have to pay for extra luggage," she informed him with a boring, monotone voice. She looked at her computer screen in front of her as a big waterRichard of "OVERLOAD" in crime red appeared over the suitcase that Logan had put in the system. Its total weight was 40 kg, whereas the limit of one piece of luggage in travel was 35 kg.

"100 pounds per 5 kg," she added, as a matter of fact.

Garrett smirked, grabbing his shoulders, "Mr. Logan, time to loosen your pockets, my friend. A hundred pounds for every 5 kilograms," he teased, challenging him.

What would Logan do now?

"**Smart, intelligent, who can solve any situation in the blink of an eye,"** she described, snapping her fingers at the end.

Garrett watched with a smile as Logan took off his stylish jacket, and put it by his suitcase that was on the black assembly belt.

The airline agent stood up from her seat in surprise, her eyes wide open with shock – "What are you doing?"

She looked at the luggage assistant behind her in curiosity, wondering what the boy in front of her was up to as he started to unzip his suitcase, and pull out a yellow slim-fitted, long-sleeved Henley t-shirt, wearing it on top of his v-neck thin material shirt. The crowd of people lined up single file behind him peered at him, watching him pull out another blue-coloured zip vest and wear it on top of the yellow shirt.

Logan quirked his eyebrows at her, enjoying seeing her flustered state, continuing to pick up yet another sweater vest from his open luggage, pulling it over his head to wear.

Picking up yet another dark brown coloured leather jacket and putting it onto his layered body, Logan quirked his eyebrows and winked at the male luggage attendant behind the female airline agent, inwardly laughing at his baffled state.

He barely managed to slide his arms in to the orange jacket he was previously wearing, tugging on it so that it would slide onto his shoulders. Finally all set, he flashed a gleaming smile the female agent's way.

"It's pretty cold today," he nonchalantly told her, rubbing his hands together as if trying to create warmth for himself. "Can you please check the bag now?"

She did as told, clicking a few buttons to pull up the luggage screen again. The total weight of his suitcase now amounted to 34 kilograms, right under the benchRichard of 35 kilograms. "Sir now it's fine," slight reluctance clear in her voice.

"I know," he said with a smug smile.

"Thank you," he curtly said with a smirk on his face, taking his boarding pass from the desk and leaving the check-in area with an aura that spelled confidence, charm, and wit.

"**Someone who is well-mannered – respects seniors and those elders to him." **Jasmine continued to describe what traits she'd like in her future life partner.

Seated in their seats in their gate area, awaiting the departure time of their flight, Logan noticed an elderly couple with hefty handbags in their arms standing near the seats, looking for a spot to sit in. They seemed tired from probably their last transit flight, exhausted to the core. Garrett had just been minding his business in the hard seat next to him, when he noticed Logan stand up from his seat abruptly.

"Hey guys, c'mon get up! Go go go," he urged the two youngsters sitting in front of him to get out of their seats, and make way for the two seniors. "Move!" He shouted at them, practically making them give up their seats.

Before they could even know what was going on, Logan had beckoned the two seniors to sit in their places.

"Thank you," the elder man said politely, thanking him for his kind gesture as he sat beside his wife.

"You're welcome, sir." He answered back in just the same polite manner, easing back into his seat beside Garrett. Logan started to take some of his layers off, placing them into his backpack by his seat.

Garrett watched the whole scene, and silently snickered in laughter – _Ah Logan. _The bastard – won't give up his own seat, but'll instead make others give up theirs. _Priceless_.

"**The guy should be funny – who has a good laugh himself, and makes others laugh too."** Jasmine said with a smile, just thinking about her dream guy.

Garrett couldn't control his laughter when Logan started to impersonate Mr. Smith, making funny faces.

Pointing his index finger in a glaring manner as if he was the posh Dean of the faculty, he mimicked, "YOU YOU LOGAN WATSON. You're FAIL (tilting his head to the side, flailing his arms laterally, impersonating him), you're FLUNK (squinting his eyes, imitating him with hand gestures)! YOU YOU GARRETT CLAYTON, You're FAIL, you're FLUNK! YOU YOU HENRY MARTA, You're FAIL, you're FLUNK!"

Garrett was laughing so hard he kept slapping his thighs, and looked at his best friend as he laughed along, "I mean c'mon Smith, pass _someone _already!" Logan commented in between laughs, making fun of his ex-dean.

**THAT…** was how Jasmine imagined her dream guy to be. The sound of her mother's voice interrupted the dreamland she was in - "Hmm… someone who's always smiling, can solve any given problem in any situation…" Jasmine turned her face towards the left to see her mother standing beside her, pondering about the qualities she aspired to have in her future husband.

"… Well-mannered, yet funny? Hey, that sounds just like you!" Her mom excitedly told her.

Jasmine's eyes widened at her mother's revelation. _Me? _She'd never thought of it that way. Shannon Curda grabbed a hold of her daughter's shoulders, turning her around to face her, "You want a guy like you?" She asked with a smile.

"Like me? Uhm, well if he is like me, there's nothing wrong with that." _ I guess. _"But he _does_ have to have all _these_ qualities."

Shannon laughed at her daughter's cute antics.

"So tell me," she asked her mother, "does your Max Fleming… fit the bill?" She questioned apprehensively.

Shannon's smile dropped upon hearing her daughter's innocent question. She remembered how Max just kept boring his eyes into his daughter's photo that was in his right hand. He didn't say a word – he was shy, conservative, but he WAS well-mannered and responsible!

Stammering briefly, "Uh- of course Jasmine! Of course he is, in fact he's JUST like what you described!" She didn't have the heart to let her daughter's hopes down.

Jasmine immediately started to blush hearing her mother's words. In her mind, she began to imagine her whole life around him. But there was still one thing..

"okay fine, but I won't approve of him until I see his photo." _It's only fair. _

Shannon still had a sullen look on her face as Jasmine's phone began to ring, and she rushed to pick it up.

"Ah It's Bob!" She gushed out excitedly; her sister also ran towards where Jasmine was, ecstatic at the voice of their favourite person. He was like the Uncle they never had… in a way.

* * *

The next day, Bob descended the lavish and extravagant marble stairwell of his home, as he was on his phone conversing with Shannon and Richard on the other line, yet again. He congratulated them for the alliance of Jasmine and Max's marriage, as Jasmine had finally agreed to marry him upon his insistence. Bob had nevertheless also made Shannon and Richard promise her that they would show her a photo of Max.

Bob made relentless efforts to give monetary aid to her family as a gift for her darling Jasmine, but Shannon and Richard bluntly refused again and again. All they wanted was his presence at her wedding. That would be the greatest gift of all.

As he walked down the elegant halls of his mansion still talking to Shannon and Richard as he held his phone to his ear, one of his butlers approached him, "Sir, Mr. Logan is here."

"Logan's here?" Bob repeated, ecstatic his son was finally back home after a long period of 7 years. "I'll be right there," he told his servant.

"Logan's HERE?!" Shannon repeated in ecstasy, shouting through the phone while it was on speaker. It'd been more than 15 years that she'd last seen her Logan.

Surprised at the excitement in her voice but yet happy, Bob replied, "Oh yes, sorry I forgot to tell you." He had been so busy in work since he owned a multinational chain of hotel companies, and on top of that, the New Years' Party that he was to host was but a couple days away. It had totally slipped his mind to inform Logan's favourite person of his arrival.

"Well Bob, if you're so busy with your work, why don't you send Logan over here to Gardenia?" Shannon suggested, excited.

"Yes, of course!" Richard Curda perked up, agreeing with his wife.

Bob pondered at the same, it wasn't a bad idea. Plus, it'd be nice for him to go visit Gardenia again.

* * *

Logan had finally come back home – home sweet home. He missed it, the people, the place, the moments. It'd been 7 years. Too long of a time. He looked out the circled, glass window of the front extravagant door as he took his lavish home in. To say it was beautiful… was an understatement. It was beyond that, no words could describe the elegance of the mansion. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see an indoor waterfall fountain, and as he opened the doors and entered in, he became awestruck.

He stretched his arms and yawned, tired from the jet lag he got on the flight. But he was happy. Happy to be back home with the people he loved.

His mother greeted him in a motherly fashion, embracing him; yet, she did it in such a manner that she still maintained poise and class, being the high-society woman she was. He hugged his mother back warmly, and they both walked on into the main foyer of the mansion.

After some moments of small-talk, his mother finally popped the dreaded question – "And what about your grades?" Her voice was stern, her lips formed into a thin line, seriousness all around.

Before Logan even had the opportunity to give an answer to his mother, his father approached them with a proud smile, "My son has aced!" He chuckled deeply and heartily as he stood in front of his wife and son.

"Oh really?" She commented, unable to believe her husband's words. "I'm sure if he's aced his exams, he's bound to have some kind of gradesheet." She challenged, knowing very well of his son's nature that he probably didn't take school seriously yet again.

Prepared for every kind of situation, Logan smugly pulled out a rolled piece of paper from inside of his jacket, but became surprised when his father had done the same thing. Nora eyed the two boys in front of her as their faces dropped seeing each others' rolled papers.

_Give me those! _She snatched both papers from their hands, unrolling each one.

Both boy and man looked down at the ground as if they were about to get caught by the principle in school.

As Nora sternly rolled open Logan's paper in a focused manner, both father and son glared each other down. Her eyes scanned down the legitimate-looking laminated paper.

_University of East London. _

_A _

_A _

_A+_

…_._

_Final grade: A++_

The trio repeated their actions for Bob's paper, and Nora finally spoke, announcing the verdict.

Looking at her son, she spoke, "Your report card says A double plus," (now looking at her husband) "…and yours says A _triple _plus."

"Hmm?" Bob innocently raised his head towards his wife, which was previously lowered on the ground, taking interest in the shiny, marble floor.

"The both of you could have at least talked to each other before making these fake report cards."

"What are you saying, Nora?" He faux scoffed in shock. With slight nervousness, he continued on, "That's ridiculous. Why would I make a fake report card?"

"_Mr. Bob_, what did you think? Mr. Smith only talks to you?" She looked at her husband sternly, appalled that he always took his son's education so lightly.

Logan nervously looked around, anywhere but at his mother. If looks could kill, he'd definitely be a dead lamb.

"Oh, who is _Smith_ to give a degree to my son!" _Saved by the Darling. _"I've uh, decided that he will uh – he will.. learn on the job! Yes. Right Logan?"

"Right, Dad." Logan said right back, coinciding with his father's words. They both exchanged a fist punch between them.

"And from tomorrow, he'll join me at work!"

"Right, Dad." _Fist punch. _

"And on the 31st of December, he'll help out in planning out the company's New Years' Party, right Logan?"

"Right, Dad." _Fist punch_.

Nora watched with wide eyes at the playful interaction between her husband and her son. "Great, just great. Pamper him some more, why don't you." She gave a deathly stare to her husband, and Bob flinched in return.

"Anyway. Go and get changed quickly," she told her son sternly, turning her attention towards him now. "Lunch will be ready in 15 minutes. I want you there." And with that, she left the foyer.

"You knew, didn't you. And still, you…" He trailed off, grateful for having the best dad in the world. "You're a _darling_, Dad!" He said, coming closer to him and putting his hands on his shoulders. "But who gets an A triple plus?"

"Well, you said you 'aced' it, so I thought instead of giving you a double A plus… I mean, everyone gets an A++, you're Bob Watson's son after all, so I gave you a triple A!" He explained with a hearty deep chuckle, patting his shoulders.

"But seriously Dad. You know the truth… I'm so relieved." He hated lying to his father. He meant the world to him. Logan immediately enveloped his father into an embracing hug.

"Brat." Bob commented as he wrapped his arms around his son.

Finally pulling away, Bob spoke, "Now go on and get ready. I'll see your leave, mhhm?"

Logan nodded with a smile as his father left to go to work.

* * *

"Lizzy bear!" He exclaimed as he hugged his live-in nanny from behind as she was busy in the kitchen. "You forgot me, didn't you. You didn't call or message me once while I was gone!"

"There wasn't a day in these past seven years that went by that I didn't think of you." She warmly said to him.

"Okay, now open your hands." Logan excitedly told her. Not able to bear the excitement, he pulled out her hands, the palms open.

Elizabeth became surprised seeing the gold earrings in her open hands. "Earrings? Now what on Earth will I do with these? You should give these to your future wife," she teased.

"The thing is, Lizzy bear, the girl that I want… doesn't exist," Logan told her with a know-it-all smirk on his lips as he casually hung his arm around her shoulder. "And if she doesn't exist, then what's the point in waiting?"

"God has a soulmate for every human on Earth. And the girl that He's picked out for you – she'll be the _best_ girl in the world."

And she really was the best girl in the world. Not only did she have the brains, but she also had the brawns. Tomboyish, yet girly; well-mannered, yet spunky. The one girl that would teach Logan what love really was all about – the one girl who Logan would BOUNDLESSLY love to no extent.

* * *

**Next time on Boundless: **

Bob: "Logan, go live a little in Gardenia. Maybe you can find a new meaning there."

Logan stared out his window on the bus in Gardenia, and was shocked to find Jasmine on her bike right beside her in the road lane next to him. He immediately got off the bus in pursuit of her, following her to an old, historical castle.

Logan & Jasmine had finally come face to face, and Jasmine's face instantly grew ecstatic at the sight of Logan before her, getting butterflies in her stomach, not able to believe her eyes.

* * *

**Let me know what y'all think! More feedback/more reviews = faster updates! :D **

**Favourite part/line? My personal fav is the whole report card scene between the family trio hehe ;) **

**Shoutout to butterflygirly99 for reviewing! Thank you for the meaningful words! :)  
**

**Again, 5+ reviews for the next chapter! :) It takes me forever and a lot of research and work to write these, but it only takes _you_ mere moments to review! ;) **


	3. Misunderstandings - The Root of it All

**Chapter 3: Just a little Misunderstanding**

Jasmine wandered into the living room in the pursuit of the letter, which deemed to contain Max's photograph. Nearly in her hands, her sister and her friends decided to mess around with her and snatch the letter away. And thus began this petty game of 'find the envelope.'

In the courtyard, two white-coloured envelopes lay on the coffee table. A gust of wind swept by, sweeping one of the envelopes off the table and onto the ground near the leg of the table; it was now away from Jasmine's line of sight. Swiftly walking into the courtyard to see a white-coloured envelope lying on the table, her face at once lit up at the notion of it being the same one she had had in her hand moments ago before her sister took it away from her. Jasmine strutted up to the table, taking the envelope in her hands. Before opening it, she gazed at it, getting excited of what she thought could be inside it; the thought itself of at last seeing the man she'd be spending her life with made her happy to no extent. Looking around to make sure no one was watching her, she started to open up the flap in excitement.

Jasmine felt the thin, paper material of the photograph as she pulled it out of the envelope. Her eyes dilated at the sight of the features of the person on the photograph as she began to pull the contents of the envelope out. She saw dirty blonde hair first, and that exhilarated her to pull it out further, now revealing his face. _He was alluring_, her heart told her as her eyes looked at **Logan's face** on the photo in wonder. His hair was a breed on its own - dirty blonde, yet somewhat brown. She couldn't stop gazing now; there was no turning back. His face was now forever etched in her mind – her future husband, her future soul-mate. She pulled it out further to show an elegant royal robe he was wearing; he looked no less than a prince from a Disney movie. It was obvious that the photo she was looking at was most likely a shot from a model photo shoot. Indeed, it was. Bob had sent Shannon one of Logan's model photo shoots so that Shannon could recognize him when he would come to Gardenia.

A smile played on her lips as Jasmine innocently looked at his photo, like what Max had done with her photo yesterday.

"So this is Max Fleming." Blush crept onto her cheeks as she imagined the man in the photo as her soul mate, her future life partner. Doves perched in the courtyard soared in the air, signaling the start of a new story. A story – that would begin with just a teeny misunderstanding.

* * *

Logan and Garrett walked in through the doors of Lynn Royale, the main headquarters of Bob Watson's hotel franchise. Garrett was going bonkers at the thought of _Logan_ working. As in job working.

"Dude, you're gonna _work?! _I mean, _you_ and _work! _That's crazy, man. Plus, what about our Bangkok trip for New Years'? I already booked two tickets!"

But Logan was calm, cool, and collected as he walked on into the reception lobby. "Look, Dad said to work, so I'll have to work _a bit_. And as for Bangkok –" He froze midway his sentence as his legs slowed to a halt, and his eyes wandered to an attractive woman clad in a blue dress, walking towards the reception desk. She had shiny, blonde hair, and courtesy of the high dress she was wearing, she also had long, smooth legs. "Oh, we're going to Bangkok all right," Logan told his friend as he looked at him. But his eyes were on the _ooh-la-la_ lady in front of him, "But not two, three. Book another ticket."

Oblivious to Logan's sly thoughts, Garrett asked, "Now who's the third?!" He just didn't understand his best friend sometimes.

* * *

Joshua, Logan's older brother, was surprised to feel Logan's touch on his shoulders as he was stuck in a fix. He was conversing with his wife on the phone while the attractive lady before him kept pestering him as they stood near the reception desk. Why wouldn't she just let him be?

"What's wrong bro? Any problem?"

_You're a total lifesaver_. Joshua looked at his brother, "Yes. Could you take her to Mr. Anderson please? Thanks." And with that, he left the lobby, talking to his wife on the phone, "Whaat? No, love. That girl…."

Logan cleared his throat and tugged on his leather jacket as he took a step closer to the belle in front of him.

"Hi." He said with a lilt in his voice.

"Hi," Sherri said politely.

"So… Shall we?"

"Where?"

"If you want, to Mr. Anderson. _Or… _I have some better plans."

"Better plans like?" Sherri questioned.

"Please, walk with me." He told her, gesturing her – _ladies first._

* * *

Jasmine looked at Logan's photo, which now sticked, taped on her dressing table mirror.

"Max Fleming. I totally thought at first by your name, you'd be some geeky nerd or something. But no, you're quite alright," she said a monologue to herself in an exciting manner, admiring his face on her mirror.

All of a sudden, she heard her sister calling out for her, and immediately took off the photo from the mirror and hid her hand behind her back. Her sister walked in to her room, and she seemed quite tense and worried. It was as if she was looking for something as if her life depended on it.

"What. Why are you wandering around like a sullen ghost?" She asked her, rolling her eyes.

"I can't find that envelope!" She answered back, tensed. It had Logan's photo in it, and her mother was quite worried about the same. How was she going to recognize her darling Logan now?

"Well, I found _my_ envelope. Now scram."

"Thank God you found your envelope," she answered back as she continued to rummage through the stuff in Jasmine's room. "But then where did _that_ envelope go?" Riley muttered to herself. Not finding any luck, she grudgingly left the room. _Mom was gonna have a fit._

As soon as her younger sister left, Jasmine immediately perked up. Bringing her hand out from behind her back to in front of her, Jasmine revealed Logan's photo again in her hands. She giggled, "So where was I?"

* * *

"So you're a TV celebrity – Sherri List." Logan affirmed as the duo walked on in the halls of Lynn Royale. "I mean, you're such a good dancer, a great performer. And you're gonna perform in _this _hotel?" His tone suggested the idea that performing at Lynn Hotels franchise was not up to her standards.

"You're saying that about your own hotel chain?"

"I wasn't saying because of _my_ hotel, I was just saying it for _you_," he justified himself, turning his body towards her as he spoke. "I mean, you should be in, say, Bangkok! With me."

Before Sherri had a chance to reply back to his offer, Bob Watson approached them, "What plans are being made here?" His voice slightly startled Logan as he turned to face his father.

"Oh nothing Dad!" He played it coolly. "This is Sherri, and Sherri, this is Dad."

"I know she's Sherri." Logan's charming smile dropped as his father burst his bubble. He directed his attention towards his female client, "You can go to Mr. Anderson, last cabin to the left. Go and sign your contract." His tone reflected a completely all business, no-nonsense mood.

"Uhm, Mr. Logan was just saying – me and him, uh Bangkok…" She trailed off in her soft, naïve voice.

Logan nervously cleared his throat at her words in front of his father.

"Oh! I see. You and Logan… Bangkok." Bob mused. He looked at his son with an amused smile, "but Logan is going to _Gardenia._"

Logan wore the biggest o-face imaginable as he thought he heard that he was going to _GARDENIA?! _Did he hear that right? No WAYYY!

"Will you go to Gardenia?" Bob urged Sherri.

"_Gardenia?!_" She repeated with disgust. "Nooo," she declined, horrified at the thought of going to _that_ village city.

"Last cabin to the left, Sherri. Please," he commanded her, practically forcing her to leave him alone with his son.

As soon as Logan saw Sherri leave through the corner of his eye, he immediately came closer to his father, whispering in his ear in a soft voice. He couldn't even _say_ the dreaded place without anyone hearing him. "_Gardenia? _When did this happen, Dad?"

"Why so surprised?" Bob said nonchalantly, as if it was no big deal at all. It was their hometown after all, nothing to be ashamed about. "I'm serious." He looked around to make sure he wasn't attracting attention towards himself and his son, "you're going to Gardenia tomorrow."

"Nice joke Dad." Logan scoffed in return, _yeah right_. He laughed in disbelief. However, his laugh had disappeared in an instant as soon as he noticed his father pull out an air ticket from a pocket inside his blazer, "it's not a joke."

Before Logan could even fathom what was happening, his father handed him the white coloured ticket paper. "This is your ticket. Go home and pack your stuff. You have a flight tomorrow morning." And with that, he left his son to gape away dumbfounded at the flight ticket to Gardenia in his hands.

"Departure from Bangkok, and arrival in Gardenia," he muttered to himself. _Just great_.

* * *

Logan casually sat on the sofa in the grand hall of Lynn Villa, his home. His mother and brother were both sitting below him on the cushions on both sides of him. They had promised him that they would talk to his father as soon as he got home, and convince him to let him go to Bangkok, not Gardenia.

However, he jumped to his two feet onto the ground at once, seeing his father stride into the Grand Hall, a butler behind him carrying his briefcase and blazer.

"So. All set and ready to go?" He asked his son as he approached his family.

Everyone now got up off their seats on the couch as they noticed Bob's arrival. They all began to plead to let Logan go to Bangkok instead of Gardenia.

But Bob gave no reply, no sign of budging from his firm decision.

His wife decided to take matters into her hands. There was no way she was going to let her son go to that wretch of a city. "Bob, please." She tried to appease him. "Let him go to Bangkok, it's for New Years."

"Nora my dear, New Years comes and goes around every year. It'll be nice for him to go to Gardenia." He walked forward to stand beside his son who had a melancholy expression on his face. "He should go there, he doesn't even recognize half the faces there."

"Exactly Dad!" His son exclaimed in return, putting the glass of orange juice he had in his hands onto the oak coffee table in front of him. "I don't recognize ANY of the people there. And if I don't even remember anyone, then what's the point of _going_ Dad?" He questioned, grabbing a hold of his upper arms.

"Logan," he said with an endearing tone. "Go live in Gardenia for a bit. Maybe something good can come out of it."

_Yeah, right. In Gardenia – NO WAY! _He urged his brother and his wife standing beside him to do something, and they subsequently began to plead again like no tomorrow. His mother also joined in, in the hopes that her husband would change his decision.

"Alright alright!" _No need to create a ruckus. _"So then Bangkok it is." Bob declared, being outnumbered.

"Thanks Dad you're the best!" Logan exclaimed, he knew his dad loved him too much.

As his family members rejoiced and relaxed at Bob's new decision, Bob slyly pulled his phone out of his pocket of his trousers.

_Message Sent. _

Logan felt his phone suddenly vibrate in his pocket, and pulled it out.

_Message from: ECECI Bank_

_Dear Customer: Your Credit Card No: XXXXXXXX has been blocked. – ECECI Bank _

"Dad. You blocked my _cards?!_"

Bob gave a sly smile as he turned towards his son. "Well son the deal didn't include a part of your _cards_ being activated as well."

_You gotta be kidding me_.

"Have fun in _Bangkok_." Bob told his son as he left the living room and ascended the stairwell up to his master bedroom.

"Dad! Da-d! Hold on a second, Dad! Wait!" Logan called out for his father as he hastily followed him up the lavish staircase.

Bob walked on as Logan closely trailed behind him, miffed about his decision. "Go to Gardenia first, and then I'll sponsor your trip to Bangkok, and that's a promise." He firmly told him, _no buts no excuses._

Logan finally caught up to his fast-paced father, standing in front of him, blocking him from going any further. "But Dad – What's in Gardenia?" Why was it so important for him to go to Gardenia right around New Years'?

"Jasmine's wedding. In 7 days."

"Who Jasmine?"

Putting an endearing hand on his shoulder, "_Our_ Jasmine. Your dear friend - Shannon's _daughter_."

Logan was left dumbfounded at the thought of Jasmine as Bob left him alone standing in the middle of the second floor hallway. His mind drifted to the clearest memory he had of Jasmine from his childhood.

* * *

Little ten-year-old Jasmine was sitting on a lawn chair, crying waterfalls of tears as her mother started to use scissors to cut the bottom of her pigtails. She glared at ten-year-old Logan who sat in a similar lawn chair across from her, sipping on his orange soda through a curly straw pursed to his lips. Seeing her state, little Logan laughed to no extent.

"Mom! Logan stuck gum in my hair!" She complained profusely to her mother as she stood behind her, trying to cut around the gum area of her hair.

"I told you not to mess with me, sucker!" He told the little girl, sticking his tongue out at her and pointing his index finger at her teary face.

"Well if I cry, I'm gonna make you cry too!" She threatened, sticking his finger at him.

"HA. I'm going back to L.A. tomorrow. I'm never coming back! I hate you! Bye!" Logan put his glass full of soda on the coffee table in front of him, and then got up. However, just as fast he felt himself being pushed down on the seat again. _Huh? _He tried to get up again, but it was to no avail. Every time he raised his body to get up, he felt a force pushing him back down.

Jasmine laughed as Logan struggled to get out of his seat, even her mother found it funny. _Ah, revenge is sweeeet_. Bob approached his son as he began to fuss in his seat, on the verge of tears.

"Daddy! Shans!" He shouted as he felt his father put a hand on his shoulder. "That Jasmine put glue on my chair!" He complained to his daddy as he turned in his seat to face him.

"Oh dear," Bob sympathized with his son with a soft voice. "Jasmine my dear, what have you done?" He teased as he picked his little dude up into his arms, causing his pants to fall down in the process.

Jasmine laughed wholeheartedly as she saw a little Logan in Bob's arms, wearing nothing but red underwear on the lower part of his skinny body. Her mother joined in her laughter as she noticed the small tiff between the two kids, _so cute_.

"**Remember – whenever **_**I**_** get my hair cut, **_**your**_** pants will fall down!**!" Jasmine gave him an ultimatum.

* * *

Logan's mind drifted back to the present as he contemplated the thought of going all the way to Gardenia for _that_ Jasmine. God, he used to hate her so much when they were kids.

He sat on his bean-bag chair in front of his dressing table mirror, determined to never go to Gardenia. "Not today, not ever." He said to no one in particular but himself. "And especially not for that _crybaby_ Jasmine."

"God, stupid Jasmine. She was such a wild cat! I bet she's even more feisty now. Who knows what unlucky guy is having to marry her." His monologue to himself was interrupted as he heard his name being called out to him by his father, his basketball being thrown at his face. Having quick reflexes, Logan turned around in time to grip the ball in his hands.

"So. You've decided then." His father said as he sat on the corner of his king sized bed beside him. "You're not going."

"No way Dad. Never."

* * *

Logan and Garrett arrived at the airport of Gardenia the next early morn', and Logan admired his surroundings as he took in how beautiful the city really was. Garrett was just about to fetch for a taxi, but was halted midway when he heard Logan's voice.

"Screw the taxi, and run!" Logan called out behind him as he jogged towards a bus driving in front of him. It was so cool-looking to him. It ran on wheels, but yet its exterior was like a choo-choo train. _I am SO getting on one of those_.

As both friends climbed aboard the moving bus, they sat in two empty seats by the open window. Logan settled himself in, and remembered his father's words that convinced him to come to Gardenia.

* * *

_Flashback (Logan POV) _

"_Logan, I want you to run an errand for me there – think of it as your first salary." _

"_What do you mean Dad?" _

"_Look. Jasmine's getting married, and I want to give her parents some financial aid. But they're not agreeing." _

"_So basically you want me to convince them to say yes." _

"_Exactly. If you can get a 'yes' out of either the mother or the daughter, 50,000 dollars is yours, and you're free to go to Bangkok, all bank cards inclusive." _

_END Flashback_

* * *

While Logan was busy pondering about his reason for coming to Gardenia, Jasmine was doing the same, riding her bike through the bright streets of the beautiful town. Except the difference was, what she was pondering about had to do with Max Fleming, and the conversation she had with him yesterday night.

* * *

_Flashback (Jasmine POV) _

_Max: "I'll be waiting for your answer tomorrow at noon. At Snow Castle." _

_End Flashback_

* * *

She cycled on as she thought of his words. He wanted to meet her to know her answer – her 'yes or no' as he termed it - to know if she likes him the way he likes her. To know whether she really does approve of their new relationship. What a gentleman. He seemed so charming, yet poised. It was all so thrilling and exciting to her. But what would she say when he came in front of her? She was getting so giddy and nervous just thinking of coming face to face with the man she saw in the photo, how would she able to keep her cool and not act like a little fangirl?

"Man, I should've done some research on him." _Maybe at least checked his facebook or something?_

* * *

Garrett looked at his ipad in his hands in heavy concentration. He squinted his eyes as he attempted to get past the boss level on the game he was playing. However, his mind had an internal freak out when he felt his iPad being snatched out of his hands. He looked to his left to see Logan pressing his finger on the screen, exiting the app to go to the Safari web browsing app.

"Hey! What'd you do that for?"

"Research, my friend." Logan answered with a smile as he logged in to facebook. "What name did Dad say again?" He knew it was Jasmine, but he didn't know her full name. He mused, trying to think hard as he started to type into the facebook search bar, "Jasmine….Jennifer…Curda."

He impatiently looked at his profile photo, which was on the home page. Why wouldn't the page load faster? He couldn't wait to see how she looked. _I bet she's still the same – those brown pigtails and crybaby face. _But Logan was in for a shocker when her profile began to load onto the screen. His eyes almost shot out of his sockets at the sight of her photo, clicking on it to further enlarge the image. Completely absorbed into her beauty, his eyes softened as he looked on. It was a candid shot of Jasmine on a small rowboat, her hair blowing in the wind as she looked away from the camera. He just couldn't tear his infatuated eyes away from her – she had these big, beautiful eyes, and brown hair that shone like… well, he couldn't describe it. And then her face! It was round, yet so _beautiful_.

He had finally found her.

A ghost of a smile played on his lips as he pulled out his ringing phone from his pocket in his jeans, not wavering his gaze away from her profile picture. "Hey Dad, yeah I'm here." His smile turned into a wide grin as he continued to admire Jasmine on his screen, "Get ready to hear that yes. Now the mother or the daughter just needs to come in front of your son just once, Dad." He told his father confidently. Then it was bye-bye Gardenia, and hello Bangkok.

Logan felt his body hurl slightly forward as he began to continue talking to his dad on his phone. The bus had halted to a stop, courtesy of a traffic light. Jasmine's bike had also halted to a stop as she pressed her hands on her brakes to stop at the stoplight… in the lane right next to the bus. Unaware of who was sitting inside, she stared blankly out in front of her, impatient to get to Snow Palace to finally be face to face with Max. She couldn't be late – it would make the worst first impression ever.

As he leisurely looked out his open window, Logan's eyes immediately became wide in shock, his jaw dropping at the sight before him. A girl with brown hair sat on a pink and white bike, parked at the stoplight in the lane right beside him. "Dad, hold on a second." The hand that was held to his ear subconsciously dropped to his side as he turned his attention towards the beautiful girl before him. Mesmerized by her beauty, he gazed at her as she blankly stared out at the road in front of her. Logan blinked his eyes back, unable to believe his eyes. He looked back at the screen on his friend's iPad he was holding in his hands – the photo of Jasmine was still present. She looked even more beautiful in person! A flashback of an image of a crybaby Jasmine flashed into his mind, and he snapped his head back towards the Jasmine that was before him, sitting on her bike in the lane right next to him. He couldn't believe it – THAT was Jasmine? How was it possible? She grew up to be quite the looker.

He looked down at the picture once more. Same eyes, lips, hair, face complexion – everything! _That – that's HER! _Wow, she looked so much more beautiful in person. What were the chances that he'd see her right beside him right now!

The traffic light signaled green, and with that Jasmine stepped on her bike pedal, riding down the street to reach her destination.

Logan watched as Jasmine rode past the still bus he was sitting in. Her bike had already went down the street, but the bus hadn't moved an inch, due to the trafficking cars in front of their lane.

He couldn't let her get away. She was his ticket to Bangkok. Plus, a part of him was smitten and intrigued by her. Not wanting to waste another second, he jumped out of his seat and out the bus in pursuit of her. His friend's appalled cries for him as he jumped out went unnoticed by him as he ran down the traffic roads, chasing after her.

* * *

Jasmine parked her bike outside, and gracefully entered the open courtyard of the palace. Logan also entered shortly after, following in her footsteps, his right hand gripped onto the shoulder strap of his black and red backpack-duffel bag hanging on his right shoulder. A smile played on his lips as he walked through the corridors of the palace, confident and determined that it wasn't long now until he found her. He caught sight of her ahead of him, and he grinned as he walked a few feet behind her.

As he entered into another open corridor, he lost sight of her. He walked on as he took in his surroundings, his eyes searching for the girl he had just seen moments ago. He turned around, looking all around to see a glimpse of her again. But she was nowhere to be seen. How could she just disappear like that.

* * *

"Once upon a time, there was a man named Prince Austin, and a woman named Princess Piper." The tourist guide started as a crowd of intrigued tourists began to form before him, intrigued to know about the castle. Some say it was history, some a legend – a story. Nonetheless, it was a story that led to boundless love. "They were friends ever since they were wee little children. Friends… yet enemies." The guide told them, a storytelling narrative tone apparent in his voice. "Whether there was hatred between them, or love… neither could _they_ understand, nor could anyone else." The man telling the story began to cough a couple times, interrupting the flow, and then began again. "Every time – " However, the phlegm in his throat was getting the best of him, causing him to cough more violently now, unable to continue the story. The man heard Jasmine's voice beside him as she offered to tell the story instead, and for him to go rest. He gladly complied, leaving Jasmine to tell the rest of the story to the tourists that had taken much interest in the palace and its story.

"Prince Austin loved to annoy Princess Piper. But Princess Piper? She was a fighter. She always gave it back to him. Time played its toll, and both of them grew up. Princess Piper was to be wed – suitors from far away lands came to ask for her hand in marriage. A ceremony was held in which Princess Piper was to choose her suitor that she would like to marry. And Prince Austin? He turned up _uninvited_ to the ceremony!"

Logan noticed a crowd gathering in front of the outdoor water fountain in the courtyard. Intrigued, he pushed past people as he heard a sweet voice telling some sappy story of a prince and a princess. Logan stood behind a couple people in front of him, keenly listening on, trying to get a glimpse of the girl who the voice belonged to.

"Then Prince Austin defeated all the other suitors, and emerged out of the crowd, and asked Princess Piper as he stood in front of her – "

"Yes or no?"

Jasmine turned around to hear a deep male voice, and her jaw dropped in response, shocked at seeing Logan in front of her. Or rather, in her perspective… _Max_. She was tongue-tied, speechless. She didn't know what to say. It was all so exciting, just like she imagined in her dreams. Her prince, Mr. Right coming out of the crowd and asking her to marry her. A smile crept up on her lips as she looked down at the ground, hot blush apparent on her cheeks. She knew it was totally unrealistic and cliché, and never expected in her life that Max would ever have the charm or guts to do something like this. He seemed quite shy and poised when she had talked to him last night.

"So what did Princess Piper say?" A young woman from the crowd interrupted their moment, eager to know more about the story. Little did she know that the story was a parallel to the story that Logan and Jasmine would soon share.

Jasmine was jolted out of her reverie as she heard the voice of the tourist and looked up at Logan, who was also expecting an answer. She looked at the tourist as she answered back, "Oh, I won't tell you _that. _You'll find your answer to _that_ question in the walls of this palace. Where the story of Prince Austin North and Princess Piper is etched. So go on, find your answer."

Logan looked at Jasmine as she cleverly answered the tourist, without giving a clear answer to him. _Impressive. Beauty with brains. _His gaze didn't waver from her face as people started to scatter and roam around the different halls and passages of the palace. Both individuals stood in place – Jasmine awkwardly stood, fidgeting with her fingers, while Logan had an intense gaze on her, unwavering. Moments passed, and she stole glances at him from time to time as he looked at her.

Realizing the latter was not budging, Logan took his red duffel backpack off his shoulders and set it on the ground by his right leg. "So tell me – yes or no?"

Jasmine bashfully smiled as Logan looked at her, expecting her answer. _Oh, I'm not giving in that easy._ "You can find your answer in the walls." She told him, giving the same answer she had given to the tourist moments ago.

"I don't have time to go look in those walls for my answer." He wittingly replied with a smirk. "I've come here with a challenge, Jasmine. And I'm not leaving without an answer."

Jasmine was taken aback by his nature. She'd never met someone who was as head to head or stubborn as she was. Maybe her mother was right – maybe her Mr. Right was like her.

He asked again, "Yes or no?"

She felt like melting at the sound of his deep voice. It was so soothing, so charming. Like straight out of a fairytale. Nervous, she began to look up, down, left, right, anywhere but at his intense gaze on her. Logan noticed Jasmine starting to fidget with her fingers as he continued to look at her.

"_YES." _It felt like her voice echoed throughout the whole palace; but more importantly, it echoed into the ears of the person that mattered the most – Max. A successful smile played on Logan's lips as he heard her answer, feeling triumphant at his accomplishments. Doves and other beautiful species of birds began to soar in the air near them as the duo peered at each other.

A relieved look flashed across Jasmine's face as she finally said the word. It felt so good – no more tension, it was out in the open. He finally knew how she felt. And she knew by their conversation last night, he felt the same way.

She then noticed the bag by Max's legs – "Where are you going with this bag?"

"Your home, of course." _Wasn't it obvious? Where else would he go? _

Jasmine immediately began to blush red hot at the thought of Max coming to her home to take her away to his home. She thought of his words as a romantic metaphor to their future relationship. Unable to contain her happiness, she gracefully fled the courtyard, disappearing down into the corridor in front of her. Logan watched in a surprised manner as she fled away from him, blushing in a shy manner. Why was she acting like some shy Disney princess? "What's there to shy about?" He questioned aloud.

He brought the phone he had in his right hand up to his ear, as his father was still on the other line. "Did you hear Jasmine's 'yes', Dad?"

"Yes, my son. I heard it." Bob answered on the other line, as he stood near his extravagant, lavish bookcase, a book in hand. "Now go and give the money to Shannon. But pray tell, how exactly did you get such a stubborn girl to say yes?"

"There's something called _charm_ Dad – which your son has loads of." Logan replied to his father as he picked up his duffel bag off the ground and put it on his right shoulder. "Make sure my first paycheck is ready for me," he told Bob confidently. "Love you, bye." Logan bid his father adieu as he walked down the corridor that Jasmine had bashfully fled down moments before.

* * *

**Looks like Jasmine has gravely misunderstood Logan for Max. Will Logan ever be able to read in between the lines and learn the truth? And if so, what will he do about it? **

**FINALLY DONE. PHEWW. I cannot tell you guys how many times I wrote, re-wrote, and edited. I do hope it was worth the wait for y'all. Don't forget to let me know what you thought through a review? Favourite part? Personally, I heartily enjoyed writing Jasmine's confession scene of saying yes. Gave me quite a cinematic feel. :)**

**5+ reviews for the next chapter! :)**

* * *

**Next time on BOUNDLESS:**

**Jasmine and Riley stood on a cruise. **

**"By the way, whose idea was it to have a cruise party for New Years'?" Jasmine asked. **

**"Who else could it be, Jazz?" Riley said, pointing to Max Fleming that just walked in. **

**Jasmine peered at the entry door, oblivious to the real Max's presence. The man that caught ****_her _****eye was the man behind Max Fleming - her perception of Max Fleming - Logan Watson. She smiled at the sight of Logan walking through behind Max. **


	4. Behind the Mask

**Chapter 4: Behind the Mask**

* * *

A couple days passed by, and Jasmine's misunderstanding of mistaking Logan for Max grew stronger. Incidents kept happening that allowed it so. While Jasmine got more and more attracted to Logan, Logan hung out with his cousins in the city. He was enjoying the Gardenia life for his father, since it was a wish of his. He even got a hold of a big open Jeep that belonged to the local bully's – The DUDE of Gardenia, as his father called it.

Not only did he manage to fulfill his father's wish, Logan was able to organize a cruise party for New Years'. His cousins told him they usually just watched movies and ate pastries, and he decided to do something new, exciting - something ROCKING.

Jasmine, Riley, and their friends stepped board onto the cruise where the New Years' Party was to be held this evening. It was all so exciting – Gardenia had never hosted a cruise party before! Usually, they just ate finger food and watched movies on their terrace, but this year was different. It was also Jasmine's farewell party, as Max was going to take Jasmine to his home in Sutherland after they got married.

Her friends looked around them in awe as they walked on. Red and white balloons everywhere, matching streamers, the décor was beautiful, to say the least! Just like you would see in those movies and teen TV shows.

"By the way, whose idea was this whole cruise party thing?" Jasmine asked her younger sister, whispering into her ear as the music was blaring quite loud.

"Jazzzzz_…_ who else could it be?" Riley perked up, proud of Logan for thinking of such an awesome idea. He was so cool! "L-"

However, Logan's name was drowned out by the voice of the male DJ speaker on the P.A. He spoke with a loud, bellowing voice, "LADIES AND GENTLEMAN." Jasmine turned her attention towards the sound of the DJ's voice as he spoke, "PLEASE WELCOME OUR SPECIAL GUEST FOR TONIGHT – MR. MAX FLEMING!"

Jasmine blatantly ignored Max as he walked in through the entrance. Her eyes were searching for a familiar bout of dirty blonde hair and those charming eyes of his. Seeing her version of Max walk in right behind the real Max Fleming, her face grew ecstatic, a shy smile appearing on her lips. He strode in in style, wearing a yellow blazer on top of a blue shirt, her favourite colour. Jasmine's heart filled with happiness as she saw him enter the venue with the flamboyant way he carried himself, towards his friend.

The party now went in full swing; everyone had masquerade masks on their faces, dancing the night away. Jasmine ascended the stairs on the cruise to the upper deck, where all the fun was. She looked around her as numerous couples were dancing on their feet. Suddenly, she felt a tug on her wrist, and was whipped around into someone's arms. She looked up to see a yellow-masked man holding her in a dance stance, his arm around her waist and his right hand clasped in hers. Jasmine could recognize those eyes anywhere – Max, her fiancé. They always twinkled with this charm and mischievousness she fantasized about in her dreams.

Logan's smile on his face deepened into a grin as he looked at the purple-masked cute girl in his arms. He was waiting for her to come up here – took long enough. Logan twirled her around as her back became flushed to his chest. He then lowered her, taking her for the dip.

Jasmine's eyes sparkled with happiness as she danced with him. However, it was short-lived. He suddenly let go of her and started to dance with two other girls at the same time right in front of her, just like he had with her.

A pang of jealousy formed in her heart and anger filled her nostrils as she watched him dance with those bimbos. They were practically throwing themselves at him, and he was enjoying it! How could he! He was her fiancé, for heavens' sake.

Logan watched in surprise, and his smile faltered as he noticed Jasmine leaving the dance floor while he was dancing with his ladies. He'd never gotten _that _reaction before.

* * *

Jasmine sat on a small rowboat near the cruise, away from all the noise and loud blaring music. Upset, she thought about how those two girls were twirled around in his arms, Max pulling them to his chest. She rolled her eyes, remembering how he swayed his hips to and fro with those girls. To say a _tinge _of jealousy arose… was an understatement.

Logan got onto the small rowboat and sat beside Jasmine, facing her. "What are you doing here?"

"What's it to you?" She snapped back rudely as she faced him.

"You're right, what's it to me." Logan watched as she rolled her eyes in return and faced the other way. She was so cute when she was angry, her nose flared with anger. Even when she's angry, she's beautiful.

"You're beautiful," he said to himself. Sure, he's called numerous girls in London 'hot' before, but beautiful? For him, it took on a whole new meaning – beauty inside and out. However, Jasmine turned her head towards him as she heard those words. Did he say that out loud?

"Oh. So _now_ you've found the time to notice me." She was miffed. If he thinks he can butter her up with a couple sweet compliments, then Mr. Charming, he was gravely mistaken!

He didn't understand why she was so upset. What did he do? "What do you mean?"

She couldn't take it anymore. He was _so _playing dumb on purpose – as if he didn't know! "You left me all alone and started dancing with those other girls!" Jasmine burst out.

Logan watched her roll her eyes angrily at him and face the other way. He slightly chuckled, "Jealous?"

"I'm not jealous!" Jasmine immediately defended herself. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Plus, she wasn't _jealous! _How incredulous. She looked down at the ground as Logan continued to gaze at her. "I just wanted this New Years' to be special. With you."

Logan looked away as he realized that she was being so serious. She was so clingy as if she was in love. He was just having some harmless fun with her. Nothing serious at all. He nervously tugged on his shirt.

Awkward moments of silence passed between them as both individuals nervously stole glances at each other. Jasmine looked at the boy in front of her as he constantly avoided her gaze – _Mr. Max is avoiding me as if I bite. _

"Have you ever fallen in love?"

Logan looked into her eyes as she popped the question. "Love is the biggest misconception that people have. Because of which people live their entire lives in an illusion." _Love? Pfffft, it doesn't exist. _

And the clash of minds had already begun. Logan's ideology of love was completely opposite to Jasmine's.

"I'm leaving." Irritated with his ideology and not wanting to burst something out that she would have to regret later, she got up from her seat in a hurry. However, she immediately began to topple over, and felt herself falling over the boat. Logan immediately grabbed a hold of her, snaking his arms around her waist.

Jasmine felt Logan pull her towards his chest as she was tumbling forward, and suddenly opened her eyes wide to find him holding her by her waist, looking into her eyes. "Maxxxx!" She immediately yelled as she felt herself being pulled towards him. Jasmine grabbed a hold of his shoulders to balance herself as she looked into her eyes and he looked into hers. Both of them couldn't tear their eyes away from each other as Logan held her tighter, his arms wrapped around her waist. Countless lanterns floated above them **(AN: imagine the lantern scene just like in Tangled)** as the duo shared an eyelock moment between them. Jasmine lowered her gaze as Logan continued to gaze into her eyes, still mesmerized.

The clock struck 12, signaling the start of 2014, the New Year. A new beginning, a new journey – of boundless love had begun. Fireworks erupted in the sky above them. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! WELCOME TO 2014!" The D.J. on the speaker announced as Jasmine raised her eyes to look into his eyes once more. She felt as if she could look into his eyes boundlessly.

Coming back to her senses and that there was a party going on in full swing in a cruise nearby the little rowboat they were standing on, Jasmine pulled away from Logan's hold on her. "Max, we should get back to the party." She avoided his gaze as she turned away from him and carefully got out of the small boat.

_What just happened?_ Logan had never acted that way before. Sure, he'd help a girl from falling, but look into her eyes as if he was in love? No way! And did he hear her right? She called him Max! As in Max, her fiancé. _She thinks __I'm__ her fiancé? _He recalled moments ago when Jasmine called him Max as he held onto her, and then numerous moments where he started to recall Jasmine's blushing reactions with him.

_Flashback POV (Logan POV)_

_At Snow Palace: _

_"So tell me – yes or no?" _

_"YES." _

_At Jasmine's home:_

_Jasmine kept sending me signals through the stain glass window in the dining room to eat the casserole she made. _

_All the interactions that I had with Jasmine for the past couple of days flashed through my mind in a flourish, just like a fast-paced movie. From the most recent one where Jasmine was in my arms, to the dance on the cruise, to all those flirty signals she was giving him while I stayed at her home, to the time I saw her on her bike for the first time._

_END FLASHBACK_

* * *

Logan came up the stairs to the upper deck of the cruise, walking on the floor, minding his own business. However, his footsteps passing through the crowd of people stopped as he felt a harsh hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see a man looking at him. He looked about his age, and observed him as he looked him up and down, scrutinizing Logan.

"Thank you. For saving my fiancé. I'm Max." Max saw Logan and Jasmine together on the boat, and as per his attitude towards Logan, he was clearly affected by their close proximity. Hence, he wanted to clear up that Jasmine was _his_ fiancé.

Logan's lips curved upwards at his words. He playfully slapped his shoulder. "Ah, so _you're_ Max. And no need for a thank you. It was my duty. I would've done the same thing for any other girl." Max observed him as Logan sent him a gleaming smile, as if he had done nothing wrong.

Max suddenly turned his face towards Jasmine as he saw her stand beside him. However, she hadn't come for him. "Shall we?" She urged Logan.

"Sure." He grinned in a mischievous manner as he punched his shoulder playfully once again, and left the deck with Jasmine. "Take care buddy."

* * *

"Want to know a secret?" Logan leisurely sat on the indoor swing bench, sipping on his coffee, while Garrett sat across from him, coffee mug in hand. "For Max, Jasmine is his fiancé. But for Jasmine, Max isn't her fiancé."

"Huh?" Okay, he was just plain confused. Does that even make any sense? Sometimes, he just doubts whether being best friends with Logan really was the 'best' decision he ever made in pre-school. Garrett set down the coffee mug on the coffee table in front of him. "Hold on a second."

Logan watched with quirked eyebrows and a large smirk on his lips as his friend tried to make reason out of his words. "For Max, Jasmine is his fiancé, but for Jasmine, Max isn't her fiancé? But then bro, who does Jasmine take her fiancé for?" This was just mind-boggling to him. And he's supposed to be the smart one.

Stretching his hand back towards his neck, he leaned backwards into the cushioned swing. He gestured towards himself with a smug smirk on his face. "Me."

"Wh-what? You - ?" Garrett immediately got up from his seat and sat beside Logan on the swing. "You got _engaged _to Jasmine?" He couldn't believe this. The guy who can't even have a steady girlfriend got _engaged?! _Wasn't _he_ the one who totally crashed his wedding saying he was gonna make the biggest mistake of his life, and now he just went behind his friend's back and got engaged?!"When did _this_ happen?"

"Shut up!" He immediately barked in return, taking his hand out from behind his neck down on the seat on the swing. Engagement… and _him_? No way in hell! He angrily sat upright from the swing, no longer leaning onto it. "I'm gonna get engaged with Jasmine?" _Yeah right._ "She thinks I'm Max. I don't know why, but she does." He explained to his best friend as he sipped on his coffee, bringing the mug to his lips.

"Ohhhhh." The light bulb finally lit in Garrett's head. "I get it. So all those signals the other day she was sending you… they weren't even for you, they were for Max!" He laughed, _oh this is rich._ "And you thought she was into _you!" _As Logan continued to sip on his coffee as if this was no big deal at all (in fact he was really getting a kick out of this), Garrett told him that he should tell the truth to Jasmine, and clear up this whole misunderstanding. "…Or else there'll be a serious case of gate-crashing. And gate-crashing is _dangerous_."

Logan stretched his arm around the back of his neck again as he leisurely leaned back into the swing once more. "I _love_ gate-crashing, bro." A sly smile appeared on his lips as he mischievously looked at his friend beside him.

Garrett looked at Logan as if he had four eyes. His best friend was definitely cooking something up in that mind of his. "What do you mean? What are you planning?"

"Just some fun for 24 hours." He got up from the swing, coffee mug in hand. "She annoyed me so much when we were kids." He walked on ahead, his mischievous plan already starting to form in his mind. He leaned his elbow on the pillar beside him, "Now how can I let this chance go? Just wait and watch the fun." _Revenge was going to be sweeeet._

* * *

The sun rose early the next morning, signaling the start of a new day in Gardenia. Max's parents were to come over for lunch today, and Jasmine's mother told them she would be making trifle for dessert, a rare delicacy for the people of Gardenia. However, there was just one problem. They had no custard to make it, and it was fresh sold out in the market. That being said, Jasmine always had a solution for every problem. Commanding her mother to go rest and not take worry, she went into the kitchen to make her own version of trifle instead.

Max's parents arrived early to lunch, and beads of sweat started to form on Shannon and Richard Curda's foreheads as they welcomed them, apprehensive towards how Jasmine's trifle would turn out. In a teasing manner, they mentioned how one of the main reasons they came was to taste the trifle.

Jasmine observed how tense her parents were getting. "Wow, Mom and Dad are so worried over his parents, and the man doesn't even know that his parents are here!" She exclaimed to herself, commenting about Max's carelessness.

* * *

Logan bent his arms down to do another push-up in the courtyard. Firm lines of concentration appeared on his face as he constantly breathed in and out, conditioning his muscles as he worked out under the scorching heat of the Sun. As Logan continued to work out, Jasmine continued to prepare the trifle that Max's parents would eat.

Just on the verge of completing his 50th pushup, Logan stopped moving his body downwards midway, the aroma of white chocolate filling his nostrils. He sniffed to try to decipher what that smell was, it was distracting, but in a good way. He could no longer concentrate on his pushup. Garrett, who was sitting beside him snacking on some chips, was surprised to see him leaving his workout midway and heading inside. He never did that before. "Hey wait, where you going dude?"

Putting the finishing touches on her delicious dish, Jasmine had finally made her trifle. And boy, did it look good. She just hoped Max's parents would like it.

* * *

Logan walked through the living room towards the kitchen, when out of the corner of his eye he noticed a man and a woman seated on the couch, along with Shannon and Richard who were sitting on chairs near them. Deciding to be courteous, he tried to remember which hand you were supposed to bow from, according to tradition. Max's mother briefly looked at him as he bowed with his left hand, and was surprised. Not only at his gesture, but also at his attitude and appearance as he left the area to proceed to the kitchen. Who was that boy, he didn't look like he was from around here at all.

He continued to wander through the corridor, his eyes searching for the object that that delicious smell was coming from. The sight of Jasmine putting nuts on some kind of white coloured dish caught his eye, and he slowed his pace as he approached her. Logan sat himself down on the counter near her, his legs dangling off the edge. However, Jasmine was oblivious to his presence.

Hearing the familiar sound of Logan's charming voice, Jasmine abruptly turned around to see him sitting on the counter near her. "Is that _your_ aroma, or is something else cooking?"

Her lips curved upwards into a smile. "This aroma distracted me from my workout." Blush appeared on her cheeks at his words. She faced the large bowl of trifle inside it as it lay on the counter, putting the last final touches on it. "I made trifle. I was just going to you so you could taste it." She put a spoon in the bowl, and then faced him once again.

"So let's have it then."

Happiness filled her as she turned away to take some trifle out of the serving bowl and place it inside a smaller one for Max. She suddenly felt the close proximity of him to her back, and from the periphery of her eyes she noticed how close Logan was to her. There was minimal space between them as he came even closer, his chest becoming nearly flush with her back, and his eyes peering at the bowl in her hands that was on the counter.

A charming smile played on his lips as Jasmine awkwardly turned around to face him, bowl in hand. The only thing that was blocking the space between them was the bowl filled with trifle – the reason he had come to her in the first place. As Logan moved closer towards her taking a step forward, Jasmine took a step back, urging the bowl towards him. Both individuals repeated their actions continuously, until Logan cornered her, her back hitting the marble counter he had sat on moments ago. His face came dangerously close to hers as he gazed on, and Jasmine in return tried her best to back away, blushing from their proximity with each other. However, the fact was that she was trapped. There was no way out it seemed.

"Max! Your parents – "

Logan immediately pulled back, creating distance between them. His face dropped in horror at the thought of Logan's actual parents seeing them together - all hell would break loose. He however became surprised at the sound of Jasmine's laughter as his face was filled with worry. _Ha-ha_. _Very funny._ He looked at her as she put her bowl on the marble counter and openly laughed.

"By the way, do you bow with your right hand or your left?"

What a random question. Plus, didn't he live in Sutherland? She'd heard that place was even more conservative and traditional than Gardenia. "You live in _Sutherland. _And you don't even know _that?_" She was seriously questioning his upbringing, not to mention his intelligence.

He stuttered slightly as his cover was slightly on the verge of being blown. "Uh, I know that. I was just testing your knowledge that's all – "

"Hey. I'll have you know my upbringing and manners are quite rooted, FYI. And by the way, you bow with your right hand." She did a little demo for him, bending downwards to bow with her right hand.

"Here ya go." She handed him a small bowl filled with trifle and a spoon inside.

Logan gladly took the bowl in his hands as he eagerly began to eat out of it with the spoon. He relished the morsel of food in his mouth. It was beyond delicious. Quite possibly the best dessert he'd ever tasted. "SUPERB!"

Her face lit up at Logan's remark, her eyes wide with happiness. "Really? So your mom and dad _will_ like it, won't they?" She was still nervous about how tasty his parents would think of her dessert.

"Of course." He continued to eat out of the bowl like no tomorrow. He looked up and raised his eyes at her as a devilish smirk appeared on his lips, "Got a lot planned out for you. Be ready."

Moments passed by, and Logan continued to silently eat out of the delicious bowl of trifle. This stuff was good, gotta say! One thing's for sure, the girl knew how to cook.

He quirked his eyebrows at her as he noticed that she was looking at him in a weird manner. Was there something on his face? Why was she looking at him like that?

Jasmine responded by pointing her index finger at his face, and then pointing it towards the right side of her lip. Logan acknowledged what she was trying to say, and touched his lip to find white liquid residue on the pad of his finger. She smiled at the same, but was surprised when he started to use her scarf she had wrapped around her neck to wipe the remains of trifle on his lips. She lowered her gaze as he continued to wipe in a sexy manner. How did he always manage to get under her skin? Surely, he'd be the death of her soon.

* * *

However, one person was not happy about this at all. Appalled, Max's mother watched in horror, her jaw dropped at the sight before her – Logan using Jasmine's scarf to wipe his mouth? Oh heavens, how uncultured and uncivilized. She was to be wed in a week, and yet the girl had the audacity to go flaunt herself at other boys? This called for a change of plans.

* * *

**Next time on Boundless:**

Logan and Jasmine are in a restaurant, and suddenly the cops turn up at their table. They claim to arrest 'Max' for illegal misdeeds. Clearly, Logan defends himself by saying he isn't Max, but Jasmine insists that he is indeed Max.

Jasmine has figured out Logan's little scheme, and played a prank on him. She warns him to not cross her path as she is getting married in 7 days, and she wants no screw-ups from him.


	5. Piercing the Veil

**Chapter 5: Piercing the Veil**

The next afternoon, Jasmine and Logan stood by the lake, leaning on the balcony. A lamppost was situated beside them, creating ambience.

"So. What are your thoughts?" He inched closer to her, a charming smile playing across his lips. "About our future together?"

Jasmine lowered her gaze towards the ground as fresh blush crept on her cheeks, and Logan silently snickered as she gave a reply. _Man, this was like taking candy from a baby! _"I haven't really thought about it yet. But I will. We will – together."

* * *

The duo walked on the bridge above the lake, engaging in small talk as they got to know each other better. Or so Jasmine thought.

"Natalie, Eleanor, Kimmy, and Courtney. They're my neighbours, _and_ my best friends."

"So… you get along with everyone then." Logan said. Being the polite guy he was, he took interest in what she had to say. Plus, he actually enjoyed talking to her when she wasn't being totally irritating and annoying.

"Yeah!" An irritated expression crossed her face. "Well, except for one person."

"And who's that?"

"Oh just _someone_." She couldn't even take his name – he was THAT annoying. She hated him. "Thank the _Lord_ he's not in Gardenia."

"So then where is he?" He took more interest in her words. Confused, Logan was intrigued to find out who exactly she was referring to.

"In London. He's Bob's son." Even though Logan didn't ask for a clarification as to who Bob was, she did it anyway, on the verge of a rant of the boy she was referring to. He irked her to the core. "Oh, Bob is really close with my mom. He's kinda like the Uncle I never had in a way. Anyways, his son's name is Logan Watson."

Logan excitedly smiled like a young child as she mentioned his name. Mistaking her irritation of talking about himself for excitement, his jaw dropped and eyes widened when she told him that he was the biggest loser ever.

_Loser?! Oh, why I oughta – I'll show you loser! _"L-loser?" He stammered, appalled that she had such a horrible image in her mind of him. "Why's that?" He stopped his footsteps, and faced his body towards her, trying his best to confine his anger in his chest. His blood was boiling at Jasmine's attitude.

Jasmine chuckled in return. "Well, a loser is a loser. He doesn't need a reason to be one. And Logan? He's so – " She was just about to explain how he was the biggest loser to roam this earth, but was immediately interrupted.

"Okay enough." Logan immediately lost his cool, and was no longer his charming, flamboyant self. He was irritated. How dare she! _I'm _a loser? Has she _looked_ at herself? "I'm gonna go get something to eat." He grumbled, angrily striding down the bridge away from her.

What happened to _him? It's not like I was talking about him_.

* * *

"Oh. So all this time, she thinks I'm a _loser_." He muttered, talking to no one in particular but himself as he walked along the path towards the food stalls nearby. "Alright fine. I'm gonna teach her a lesson she'll never forget." His angry cheek lines relaxed, feeling bad for the prank he'd been playing on her. "But she _is_ a crybaby. I'll tell her the truth afterwards." No matter how impulsive Logan was by nature, he was a good man at heart. And he never breaks his promises, especially the ones he makes to himself.

* * *

The manager of a five-star restaurant approached Logan as he walked in, smiling at Jasmine walking with him. "Welcome to our hotel Mr. Max Fleming."

"Thank you," Logan replied curtly, acknowledging his greeting.

"Right this way, sir."

As Logan and Jasmine walked towards their table, Jasmine noticed how extravagant and grandeur the place really was. "Mr. Max, you've brought me to the most expensive restaurant in Gardenia."

"Anything for you." He casually said, walking around her to pull back her seat in a courteous fashion, just like a true gentleman. Jasmine smiled in return at his gesture as she gladly took a seat, and Logan sat on his own seat across her.

He looked at her as Jasmine smiled at him. She looked so happy. He played and fiddled with the decorative piece on the table as they sat in moments of comfortable silence. She was surprised when Logan pulled out a rose from the decorative piece and brought it out in front of her. Her eyes drifted from the rose to Logan. How thoughtful. Jasmine watched as Logan's eyes drifted towards the rose in his hand, conveying her to take it. With a coy smile, she delicately grasped it at its stem, and looked down at the blooming rose.

She looked back up to hear Logan's charming voice. "How's it feel?"

"Really nice." Jasmine looked back down at the rose in her hands, twirling it by its stem. Logan watched her as a bashful smile formed on her lips, and her cheeks began to become red and blushing.

What Logan did next surprised her. The palm of his hand lay open in front of her on the table. She looked up at him in surprise, wondering about his actions.

"A dance?"

Her eyes widened at his words, and her mouth was slightly left agape. Dance? In the middle of a restaurant where people were eating and talking? In front of everyone? There wasn't even any music playing!

"Here?" Her face showed hesitation about accepting his offer.

"So what? C'mon."

Jasmine immediately shook her head left and right, declining. "_C'mon,"_ he said it slower this time, urging her to put her hand in his.

"Okay." Giving in, she softly placed her hands in his. The duo got up from their seats and walked around the table to come face to face with one another. Logan brought her body closer to his own as he clasped his right hand into hers, and delicately wrapped his left arm around her waist. Comfortable moments passed between them as they swayed to the music together.

Logan took a deep breath as he prepared himself. It was now or never – enough fooling around. "Jasmine, I wanted to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"Umm…" The words weren't coming out initially. But he braced himself – he had to do this for her. He couldn't keep her in the dark forever. "Jasmine, the thing is that I'm – " A harsh hand firmly grabbed his shoulder, startling him.

"Excuse me. Mr. Max Fleming?"

Logan let go of his hold around Jasmine, and turned around to face a sturdy-looking police officer. "Yes, that's me."

"You're under arrest."

His face widened with utter shock as he noticed three other police officers standing around him like he was the sheriff or something. "WHAT?! Arrest?"

"We've got information from the interpoll that you deal in black money from Sutherland." As the officer explained to him further that he had been fired from his job, Logan turned around to see a bewildered expression on Jasmine's face.

"What _is _all this, Mr. Max?"

As Jasmine questioned him, he turned back around to face the officer again. His gaze on him was unwavering and strict. "Look, I'm – " Logan's face wandered towards the petite girl behind him. She didn't know he wasn't Max, but Logan, his old childhood neighbor. His cover was definitely gonna be blown. But his whole life was at stake!

"I'm not Max!" He turned back towards the officer and said in a whisper loud enough that the officer could hear, but could not reach Jasmine's ears.

"Ma'am. Did you not just call this man by 'Max'?"

Logan turned towards Jasmine again. "Jasmine, I – I'm not Max! Believe me – there's some confusion." However, he was taken aback when she raised her voice.

"Why are you lying, Mr. Max?" Her face was no longer coy and shy. It reflected poise, yet a definite spunk. Something was off. Logan rolled his eyes in frustration as she asked him why the police was after him.

_I can't go to jail! _"Jasmine, I'm not lying! I'm your Bob's son, Logan!"

"WHAT?!" Logan watched as her pupils dilated with shock and her jaw dropped, her mouth left wide agape. "Just a few moments ago, I told you about Logan. And now you're calling yourself Logan."

_What? No no you've got it all wrong! You gotta believe me! _Logan couldn't take it anymore, he burst. He explained in a rapidly fast manner, saying all his words in one breath as if his life depended on it. His words were coming out of his mouth like the speed of light. "NO SERIOUSLY! IM LOGAN I'VE BEEN STAYING AT YOUR HOUSE FOR THE PAST TWO DAYS YOU THINK I'M MAX I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT I'M REALLY LOGAN LOGAN WATSON WHO USED TO PLAY WITH YOU WHEN WE WERE LITTLE THE ONE WHO YOU HATED WHO YOU THOUGHT WAS THE STUPIDEST PERSON EVER AND THE SAME LOGANWHOPUTCHEWINGGUMINYOURHAIR!"

_Huff. Phew._ He was slightly out of breath. Midway his rant, his arms had flailed around, and Logan watched as a thin line was still across Jasmine's lips as he ranted. _Oh, c'mon on! _"Do you remember now?" His voice was full of desperate need. He just had to believe her, he couldn't go to jail! He didn't even do anything!

Logan watched like a confused soul as Jasmine put a hand on her hips, and her lips curved upwards into a smirk. "Of course I do." She told him smugly. "Because of which my hair got cut. And what I did after that caused your _pants_ to fall down."

Embarrassed, Logan looked down at the ground, unable to meet her eyes. "Just like it has today." She concluded, enjoying his state.

Indeed, his face was so flushed, his mouth left agape – it really did look like 10-year-old Logan's pants had fallen down. Albeit HE was the one who called Jasmine a crybaby, but right now Logan was the one who looked like he wanted to go to his mommy.

He had nothing to say in rebuttal, and just listened as she asked him her next question. "Remember what I told you when we were little?"

His mind drifted to that forlorn memory in his mind.

_10-year-old Jasmine: Whenever my hair gets cut,_

His flashback was interrupted by the sound of Jasmine's voice. He looked up at her as she finished his flashback for him. "YOUR pants will fall down, LOGAN WATSON!" She pointed her finger at him. _Tit for tat_.

Logan could do nothing but watch that smirk on her face as she eyed him. He couldn't believe she could do something like this! He was wrong, she wasn't cute, she was a monster! How cruel, sending him off to jail just for a little fun? It was just some harmless fun! It's not like her wedding would be called off cause of him. And he was going to tell her the truth anyway.

Jasmine faced the so-called police officers as they snickered away at Logan's flustered state. He looked like he'd seen a ghost. "Thank you. All of you can leave now."

"Thank you Ms. Jasmine." The police officer that had reprimanded Logan at first replied curtly.

Logan looked at Jasmine for an explanation as they left the area. Her hands were crossed against her chest as that smirk still played on her lips. The smirk that _he _usually always had on _his_ lips.

"They were actors from the Gardenia theatre." She smugly replied. "But they're no less than Hollywood actors. I'm sure you've understood by now that our Gardenia is in no way less than your L.A."

Logan's eyes wandered around himself as Jasmine began to circle around him like a bad cop. "What. You thought you could drag this lie to however long you wanted, and I wouldn't even find out?" He found his ground as he inched closer to her, both individuals now face to face. "I'm God's child. And God never lets anything bad happen to me." Snapping her fingers three times in a row, "In just two minutes, God brought your bastardness and true colours in front of me."

She continued to narrate her story to Logan.

Flashback in narration: (italics – Jasmine's spoken narration to Logan) 

Jasmine was sitting on a bench waiting for Logan to finish eating. Her phone began to ring, and she pulled it out in front of her from her pocket. However, her eyes popped out of her sockets upon reading the caller ID – _Max?! How is that possible? _She immediately wavered her eyes towards Logan who was eating a hot dog from a hot dog stand. If the person in front of her was Max, then who the heck was calling her?

Hesitant, she nervously stood up on her two feet and brought the phone up to her ear. "H-Hello?"

"Mother was telling me that you make quite a mean dish of trifle." The real Max told her. She had told his son about how Logan and Jasmine seemed to be more closer than usual, and Max's seeding jealousy in his mind grew into a full-grown cactus plant.

"What do you mean your mother told you? You tasted it yourself." She replied cautiously.

"When did _I _taste it?"

Jasmine continued to gape at the Max in front of her as her phone lingered in the air, away from her ear. _It was the real Max's call. And yet, I still couldn't figure it out. Because Max was eating a hot dog right in front of me. And then…_

The phone in her hands rang again, and her eyes immediately looked down at the caller ID. Swiftly picking it up, she spoke, "Mom?" Jasmine wanted to tell her mother about her confusion, but her mother intervened.

"Where are you and Logan? Do you know when you'll be coming home?" She asked her daughter in a casual manner.

"Logan? Who Logan?"

"Huh? What do you mean 'who Logan'? You're saying it as if you don't even know Logan." Shannon rolled her eyes at her daughter's childish antics. Must be another prank between the two – when will those two ever grow up?

Jasmine's lips parted into a big O at the revelation. Her mother cleared up the confusion further. "You know, Bob's son." Her daughter didn't have amnesia, did she?

_Logan? Bob's son?_

_And then after I talked to Mom, all my misunderstandings had been cleared. _

Present: 

Jasmine smirked at him as Logan's lips parted in shock. "You think you're the only one with the scheming brain? You're the only clever one in the whole world?" Her rhetorical questions were clearly taunts sent his way.

Logan couldn't take it anymore. He'd had enough humiliation for one day. This was a real ego-hurter. How dare she! "So that means, you did all this JUST to show how CLEVER you are?!" _I could've gone to freaking JAILLL! _

"No." She told him decisively with a strong voice. "I _did it_ to show you that you could never win against me when we were little, and you never will now!"

"And what if the police that came here today were real? My whole life would've been ruined!"

"And what about the stunt you were pulling with me?! My life would've been all dandelions and roses, RIGHT!" She barked at him.

The two strong-headed individuals went at it with full force. Neither was backing down.

"Hey." Logan objected. "I didn't even do anything! And I was just gonna tell you the truth, remember when I told you I had to tell you something while we were dancing?"

_Yeah right. _"Oh really. YOU were gonna tell the truth." _Oh this is rich. _She rambled on like no tomorrow. "And that too… through a _dance. _Rubbish! You were just hitting on me! And if God wasn't with me, then who knows how long you've stretched this lie for."

"Look. I've told you everything. It's up to you whether you want to believe it or not." _Whatever. _Logan crossed his arms across his chest, giving her attitude.

However, Jasmine gave it right back to him. "I _don't _want tobelieve it." She said aggressively, causing his mouth to gape wide open again for the umpteenth time that day. "Happy now?"

He eyed her precariously as she angrily glared at him profusely. The cute little lamb Jasmine was long gone, for Logan was now face to face with the ferocious, killer lamb version of Jasmine Curda.

"Now YOU listen to me VERY CAREFULLY." She snapped her fingers in the process and pointed her index finger at him in a glaring manner. If looks could kill, he would be dead. But then again, he wasn't one to take shit from _her_. _Especially HER_. "In just a few days, I'm getting married. As long as you're staying here, DON'T come in my way." She declared to him in a dominating voice.

Logan peered at the aggressive girl before him as she brought her hand back to her hip. His mouth was left agape as she had the last word, and his eyes trailed her figure as she walked past him, out of the restaurant.

Logan Watson had met his match after 15 long years. Now marked the beginning of a World War III. _Tom and Jerry Style._

* * *

**10+ reviews for the next chapter! **

**Next time on Boundless: **

It's Max and Jasmine's engagement ceremony. According to an old Gardenia tradition, the groom supposedly is to feed a morsel of pastry to the bride with his own hands. Everything was going so perfectly. Will Jasmine eat the morsel of dessert fed by her future husband, or will Logan unknowingly, or knowingly, get in the way?


	6. The Heroic Villain

**Chapter 6: The Heroic Villain **

The next morning, Jasmine stood on her terrace, overlooking the busy street below her. Her sister was picking up her clothes from the clothesline, folding them and placing them into her basket.

"Urghh! I can't believe I thought that stupidddd Logan was actually Max! God forbid," she cursed herself for the nth time that morning. "I could've mistaken Max for some _decent _guy, but no!." Her younger sister chuckled at how easily Logan was getting under her skin. "I mean, LOGAN WATSON! The most irritating and ill-mannered boy in the whole world! Gah." She huffed, a pouting frown on her face.

"Wow Jasmine, your's and Logan's chemistry sure is weird," her sister teased as she listened on at her sister's rant. A smile played on her lips as she quirked her eyebrows at her elder sister.

"SHUT UP! THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CHEMISTRY BETWEEN ME AND THAT LOSER!" Her blood boiled at the thought, her voice rising to no extent as she huffed over to her sister by the clothing line. Perhaps she was doing this in an attempt to convince _herself_ that there was no chemistry between her and Logan. "NEVER. REMEMBER THAT!"

She angrily strode over to the outdoor bench on the terrace, sitting down as her sister pacified her, not wanting her to get worked up even more. "Okay okay, whatever."

Riley sat down on the bench beside her sister as they both started to peel the potatoes in the tray on the bench. "You know, no one's gonna believe you if you tell the fam that Logan did this to you. They think he's a gem, A GEM!"

Jasmine angrily looked up at the mention of Logan being a gem. "Oh he's not a gem, he's a _buggg!_"

_There she goes again_. Riley quirked her eyebrow upwards. Boy, Logan sure could get her worked up all right.

"It's been 15 whole years, and he hasn't changed a bit! Just like when we were kids." Her mind drifted to a memory 15 long years ago.

* * *

_Logan and Jasmine stood across from each other. Their feet were planted firmly on the ground as they had a stare-down between them. Even when they were little they couldn't stand each other. Jasmine's mother stood in front of them as they glared each other down. "Jasmine, give the present you brought to Logan." She told her daughter. _

_Ten-year-old Jasmine grudgingly extended her hand with the boxed ribbon gift in it towards Logan in front of her. He eyed her and a thin line formed on his lips as he reluctantly took the gift in his petite hands. _

"_Very good. Now it's your turn, Logan." She urged him further, "C'mon, give Jasmine your present." _

"_Now that's a good boy. You two have fun, I'll be right back." _

_Logan repeated Jasmine's actions, and both kids now knelt on the ground, excitedly unwrapping their gifts on the wooden outdoor bench before them. A wide smile formed across his lips as the last tape came off the wrapping paper. However, his smile faltered and curiosity arose in his mind as he couldn't really see anything inside the now unwrapped box. Little Logan lowered his head further down, burying it into the box to find the object. The boy was in for a surprise when a hard, plastic fist shot upwards and punched him in the nose. Logan immediately moaned in pain, and glared at Jasmine as she laughed to no extent, enjoying his state. _

_It was Jasmine's turn now. After unwrapping __her__ gift, she saw nothing but a cylinder-shaped cardboard object. Huh? What kind of present was THIS? She stared at it in curiosity, but cried in disgust when dark mud shot out of the container, marring her complexion and perfectly braided hair. _

_Both kids glared profusely at each other, sending the other deadly looks. Not able to confine their anger, they immediately stood up on their feet and physically started to have a rumble with the other – hands and arms flailed around as they pushed and shoved. _

_Tired, they finally stopped and stood in front of each other, furious at what the other had done. _

"_CHEATER!" _

"_YOU __CHEATER!"_

* * *

"He hasn't changed a bit!"

"Oh c'mon sis. Tomorrow is your _engagement._" Jasmine rolled her eyes as she spoke. Logan just irritated her to the core, "Forget Logan, and think about _Max,_" she said in a teasing manner as she brought out a photo of Max from under the bench.

Jasmine's eyes popped out of her sockets as she saw Max's face on the photo. She immediately snatched it out of her sister's hands, boring her eyes into it. "THIS is Max?!" _Oh no. _

"Yeah, so?" Riley rhetorically asked. What was the big deal? Jasmine in return stared into space as she remembered her encounter with the man in the photo.

* * *

_Max stood in front of her, blocking her passage off the upper deck of the cruise at the New Years' Party. "You look really nice today." His lips were curved upwards in an earnest smile._

_She rolled her eyes in return, avoiding his gaze. Who was this loser? "Thanks," she arrogantly grumbled as she walked away._

* * *

"Riley, I was so rude to him!" Jasmine sighed with frustration, "all because of that loser Logan! Oh God…"

"Well, part of it _was_ your fault." Her sister retaliated, who mistakes their own fiancé for someone else?

"No way! I'm just mad that I wasted all the time I had to get to know Max before our wedding on that stupid Logan!"

"Oh c'mon sis. It wasn't wasted in vain. And anyways, you know what they say in the movies – you have your whole life ahead of you to live with him, to get to know him. So chill." Her sister always knew what to say at the right time. Albeit she was the younger one, she definitely gave the greatest advice.

After having said what she wanted to say, Riley got up with the tray of potatoes in hand, leaving to go downstairs. On the way down, Jasmine listened with a distant mind as she grumbled on about too many chores and something about doing something about the rats clustering in the kitchen or something.

She outwardly groaned as she looked at Max's photo in her hands, and then looked up towards the sky. "Oh God, I'm your child! I know I goofed up, but please show me the right way now."

And that was exactly what her darling God had intended to do. In an effort to calm herself down and relax, she got up from the bench and started to pull her clothes down from the clothesline, her already chaotic thoughts soon working themselves up into a heightened state of disarray.

One of Jasmine's dresses blew on the clothes line, courtesy of the breeze from the wind. It started to sway to the right as if it had a mind of its own. Her eyes widened with shock at the sight before her. She couldn't believe her eyes – was it really him? Her heart began to flutter as Logan stood in front of her, and his eyes twinkled as he charmingly winked at her with his right eye. Immediately, she was taken aback, as if she wasn't taken aback before. How could he still have this affect on her? She knew the truth about him, so why the uneasiness now? And why was he on her terrace? A million questions had arose in her mind as the dress swayed back to its previous position, blocking Logan from her sight. Not wasting another second, she hurriedly tugged on the dress to pull it off the clothesline rope it was hanging on, desperate to see him again.

However, no one was there. It was as if he was never here in the first place. She swiftly turned around, her eyes scanning 360 degrees all around her in sight of him. But the only person on the terrace was her – Logan was nowhere in sight. Was she… hallucinating about him? AGAIN? Jasmine groaned in frustration again. She didn't understand, why was this happening to her? If anything, she's supposed to be dreaming about MAX, NOTTT Logan!

Jasmine moaned and groaned profusely as she complained and pleaded to her darling Lord – "God, what's happening to me?" She picked up Max's photo on the bench and looked up at the sky to talk to Him, "I'm _supposed_ to be spending the rest of my life with Max, so then why I am seeing LOGAN everywhere? I DON'T want to see him, PLEASE! NO!"

Little did she know that her darling God had simply complied with what she had asked – showing her the right way, the person who she would boundlessly spend her life with.

* * *

The sun had long set, and darkness enveloped the vast sky. Logan stood on the terrace, overlooking the busy streets below him. Albeit vehicles were honking and creating a ruckus below, an eerie calmness surrounded him as his lips were a thin line, deep in thought about the one thing that he couldn't take his mind off. He couldn't rest for even a second.

* * *

_Flashback (LOGAN POV): _

"_Every time YOU put chewing gum in my hair, YOUR pants will fall down, LOGAN WATSON!" _

_End Flashback_

* * *

Tired and deprived of sleep, Garrett rubbed his eyes in a sore manner as he walked up to Logan's figure. His eyelids were heavy, and he wanted to do nothing more than to just sleep for an eternity. "Ugh man, what are you doing here on the terrace in the middle of the night?" Couldn't they just go to bed already? "Aren't you sleepy?"

"How can I fall asleep?" Logan said to his best friend in a monotone voice, his mind still deep in the reverie of that forlorn moment. He would never forget the utter humiliation he faced yesterday, the way she made a laughing stock out of him at the most posh restaurant in Gardenia.

"She made a joke out of me yesterday. No way I'm letting her off that easy."

* * *

As Logan started to walk towards the kitchen next morning, he heard that familiar rambunctious voice in the living room he had heard a couple days ago – Max's mother. She irked him to the core – how greedy could the woman be. Asking for 200,000 dollars in dowry? What, do they _live _in the 17th century? He still remembered Jasmine's parents faces full of worry and tension that day when he had overheard Max's mother asking for dowry money after Jasmine had served them the trifle she had fed to him moments ago. And the worst part was, his mother was so cunning and asked in a way that it didn't even seem like an official demand for dowry. He even tried to approach Shans about the same, but she shrugged it off, instead cleverly avoiding the topic. Thinking it best to not get involved with grown ups' business, he left the matter alone.

"Mrs. Curda, this is the pastry plate that Jasmine is to eat from at the engagement ceremony this afternoon, from Max's hands. Please be careful with it," Max's mother said in an endearing tone.

Shannon nodded at the same, and was just about to take the plate in her hands when Logan intervened. "Oh why don't I take this from you, I'll make sure to be very careful with it," he said, taking the plate in his hands with a smile. Max's mother was surprised at his gesture, and even more at the sight of him. Every time she saw him, she always wondered what the equation between him and Jasmine was. Shannon and Richard had informed her that he was just the son of a family friend, but was there more to it than meets the eye?

"I'll go get some punch for you." He said as politely as he could, leaving towards the kitchen.

Bent down at the waist, Logan had gone around the living room, serving glasses of punch on a tray to Max's family, and of course Jasmine's. However, his actions stopped midway upon handing Jasmine's great-Aunt her glass of punch when his eyes saw Jasmine entering the living room in a coy and shy manner. He slowly raised himself up as he adored her with his eyes, and his smile lost its confident, signature smirk. How did she manage to look so beautiful with even the simplest blue dress with white leggings?

Jasmine raised her gaze as she continued to walk in to find Logan looking at her all weirdly. She couldn't describe it – it was an earnest smile, but yet not. It was as if he didn't know how to react - what an idiot. Her coy smile was gone as she glared at him, then shortly after, avoided his gaze as he looked up and down her small frame.

For a mere minute, just seeing her beauty almost made him forget about his plan for revenge. ALMOST. When she avoided his gaze and glared at him, he remembered how annoying and irritating she really was, and the confident charisma was back. He smirked at her as she finally entered and approached Max's mother in a polite manner.

"Oh what an angel." Her mother commented at her beauty as her future daughter-in-law approached her. "Have a seat," she motioned for Jasmine to sit down beside her.

"Oh no, I'm fine." Jasmine politely replied.

"Jasmine! If mother-in-law is saying to sit down, then sit down!" Logan intervened. She glared at him in return. _Can't you just SHUT IT! _

Her deadly glares had no effect on him, and he urged her once again. "C'mon, sit down Jasmine." He knew very well that Jasmine couldn't do anything to him while all her future in-law's family was here.

Not wanting to create a scene, she sat down beside Max's mother, but not without sending one last deadly glare at a smirking Logan standing near her.

Logan excitedly set the tray of punch glasses on the coffee table, and took a seat beside Jasmine. He sat on the wooden stool and moved it closer to Jasmine, "Mrs. Fleming, _I_ say you should dominate her from the very first day!"

Max's mother looked at Logan in a quizzical manner. _Oh really now_.

"I mean, if you say to sit down, she should sit down. And if you tell her to get up, then she should get up. If you tell her to turn around in a circle, then she should turn around in a circle. And if you tell her to dance, then she should dance! Right?" Everyone laughed at Logan's antics as he joked around with Jasmine's in-laws. What an adorable boy.

However, there was one person who didn't find any of this funny – Jasmine Curda. She profusely glared at him in a deadly manner for the umpteenth time that morning, but was returned with only Logan's signature smirk from him. _I swear Logan Watson if you as much meddle even one finger in my wedding I'll make sure you regret it. _

The voice of Max's mother broke the deadly and mischevious eye exchange between the strong headed individuals. "Oh it's nothing like that at all. In fact, she's just like the daughter I never had. Oh, I almost forgot! Tell me, have you bought your wedding dress yet?"

Jasmine contemplated at the same. Come to think of it, the wedding dress had completely slipped her mind. And all because of that STUPID Logan. Speaking of Logan, he snickered behind his closed lips as Mrs. Fleming continued to urge Jasmine to buy her wedding dress soon, as she wouldn't be able to near the wedding. It would just be way too hectic for the bride to go out.

Shannon and Richard entered into the living room, approaching Max's mother and father.

"Here you go, the wedding token."

Logan cautiously watched as Max's parents' faces instantly lit up, as if they had just won the lottery. They eagerly took the box that looked like a box from a store into their hands, briefly peeking inside to check if the money was there or not. Satisfied, they had 1000 watt smiles on their faces as they bid their goodbyes and left the Curda residence.

"Hey mom, what was in the box?" Jasmine curiously asked with innocence briefly after her in-laws left. As far as she knew, she never heard of a 'wedding token'. What was that for?

She was oblivious to the absurd demands they had made with her parents. In return, Logan watched as he stood behind the mother and daughter, awaiting Shannon's answer. How he wanted to tell Jasmine the truth, to let her know how lowly her supposed future in-laws were, but stopped when Shannon raised her voice. "Uh – uhm, oh yes! Just some dresses as the wedding token. It's just another tradition, honey. Don't worry yourself with it – _you _just have to worry about how beautiful you'll look at tonight's ceremony." Lovingly putting a hand on her cheek, she left the area to arrange for more money for Max's parents.

Satisfied, Jasmine turned around with a wide smile as she and her cousins laughed away. Alas, it was short lived as it fell as soon as she laid eyes on Logan in front of her. A thin line immediately formed on her lips as she glared at him again like no tomorrow. Logan in return also quirked his eyebrows at her, glaring playfully back. _Hmm… Shans is right. I should get back to MY preparations for tonight as well_. And with that, he left towards the kitchen as he had initially planned to.

* * *

Garrett followed after Logan as he walked inside towards the kitchen. "Dude, what are you doing. You're roaming around like a waiter for the person's wedding who totally humiliated you two days ago?" It just wasn't like Logan – he'd never live something like this down in London. Plus, why were his hands crossed behind his back?

Finally arriving at the kitchen, Logan stopped and faced his best friend. "Ex-actly. I'm roaming around as a waiter, and waiting for the _right _opportunity… which has _now arrived_."

"What kind of opportunity?"

"The _Smith_ formula!" He said in a posh British accent, imitating his stingy dean as he pulled out a white packet that was in his hands behind his back. Garrett's face lit at the sight of the label on the packet as he read the words – "Laxative".

"Yo, I put like 4 pinches of this stuff in his juice, and he spent half the day in the washroom!" Logan snickered uncontrollably as he explained to his best friend the magic of this laxative. This stuff was gold! "Remember our pranks we played on the old geezer?"

"AW SHIT YEA – " Garrett was so ecstatic, remembered how flushed Logan had made Watson back then. However, Logan clamped his hand over his mouth when Garrett began to get too rowdy. No one could hear about this. He put the packet on the counter near him as Garrett excitedly spoke in a whisper, "laxative!"

Logan dashed over to the fridge, looking for something in particular. He opened the doors and pulled out a familiar plate of sweets, walking back to where Garrett was standing by the counter. "These pastries are for the _bride_, and only the bride is supposed to eat it, who I _boundlessly_ DESPISE. And today, she'll spend her whole engagement in the washroom." Seriously, could revenge get any more sweeter? Literally.

"Man, Jasmine's a goner." Garrett eagerly slapped his hands onto his shoulders as Logan smiled back with a snicker.

Alas, before he could even begin to commence his plan, his partner in crime heard familiar voices entering the kitchen, and Logan hurriedly put the plate on the counter near the packet of laxative. Still in a frenzy of not wanting to get caught, he dashed to the other side of the island counter, kneeling down on the ground to hide behind it so he wouldn't be seen. Garrett pretended to leisurely stand in the kitchen as Riley approached him with her friends. She gave him a quizzical look as he was blocking her way, and then immediately after left the area with his hands in his pockets. _Weird._

Not thinking too much of the matter, she walked further inside to look for a white packet labeled rat poison. "Okay Kimmy, pick up that box with the chocolate, and I'll get the rat poison." She wandered around hurriedly as she looked in every nook of the kitchen, in every pantry and cupboard for a white packet with rat poison labeled on it. Logan still lay kneeled on his feet on the floor behind the counter, waiting for Riley to finish up whatever she was doing. She bent down to look inside a cupboard beneath a counter, and Logan immediately reflexed back pushing on his feet to step back and lowering his head even more so that she wouldn't see him, even though her back was facing him. But he couldn't take any chances.

She walked back towards the island counter where the tray of sweets for Jasmine was, and knelt down on the ground to open the cupboard beneath it. "Found it!" Relief crossed her face as she pulled out a white packet labeled as 'rat poison' from the white cupboard. Satisfied with what she found, she stood back up, and placed it on the counter. However, the voice of Jasmine calling her from behind abruptly made her unaware of the identical looking white packet labeled as 'laxative' upright right beside her packet of 'rat poison'.

"Riley! Look at how the tailor stitched this! The fitting is all wrong!" She grumbled, complaining to her younger sister as she strode in, her dress for the evening draped over her shoulder.

Hearing her sister's voice, she turned around and pacified her. "Hey, don't get all worked up, Jazzz. We'll figure something out, c'mon." Riley left the premise with her arm around her sister's as she told Kimmy to come too, bringing along the box of chocolates with her. She'd worry about the rat poison later – her sister's dress was of first priority.

As soon as the trio were out of sight, Logan carefully got up from his hiding spot, and went over to the other side of the counter where the plate of sweets and the two white identical looking packets were. Garrett also appeared before him once the coast was clear. "Dude, that was a close one. Now hurry up," he urged his best friend to finish what they started before someone else came in and saw them.

In the hustle and bustle of trying to do his deed fast before someone could come, Logan accidentally picked up the white packet labeled 'rat poison', pouring the off-white powder emanating from the packet onto the pastries in the plate. His eyes scanned his surroundings as he vigorously shaked the packet up and down quickly, not bothering to notice whether he even took the right packet.

He clapped his hands together repetitively, shaking off the residue of the powder from his fingers, and then washing his hands in the sink. A smug smile crossed his lips as he thought of the sweet revenge he would soon have that evening. _Payback time_.

* * *

It was finally time for the engagement to commence, and like all the others attending the ceremony, Logan and Garrett too stood in the foyer of the venue, awaiting the arrival of Jasmine. Max had already been seated on his plush seat at the pavilion at the front, and Jasmine had yet to enter.

Every body's head turned as Jasmine walked in, her mother walking beside her on one side, and her sister and cousins on the other side. She wore a white dress that touched the floor, yellow sequins around the bodice. As she gracefully strolled in, a bashful smile played on her lips as she looked at her mother – everything was so perfect, just like she had imagined. Her happiness was to no extent.

Logan gazed on as his lips twitched slightly upwards seeing the beautiful sight before him. A blissful Jasmine walked towards the venue and his eyes trailed her frame. Yes, she was cute. That was a given. But he didn't know that she would look absolutely ethereal in traditional wear. It just gave her this new angelic look, like a princess straight out of a Disney movie.

He moved his body unconsciously as the water fountain he was standing by was starting to block his view of her. He didn't want to move his gaze away from her as she looked down at the ground in a shy manner, and then lifted her gaze back up in front of her, anxious yet excited of finally getting engaged to the man she would be spending her life with. Or so she thought. Little did she know that the person she _would_ be boundlessly spending her life with couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Her eyes fluttered towards her periphery as she noticed Logan innocently gazing at her. No, he wasn't gaping at her like some creep. Truth was, he just admired her from afar. However, her smile turned stern when she saw him, and her eyes narrowed, glaring at him. Why was his presence even needed at her engagement ceremony, geez she didn't know why, but the mere look of him just boiled her blood to no extent. She just wished he'd never come in the first place.

Logan was unphased by Jasmine's deadly glares, as he was lost in admiring her beauty as she walked on. He looked like a schoolboy in 5th grade who had a crush on the prettiest girl in the class. His eyes softened, and he smiled as he looked at the gorgeous girl in front of him. She was like no other. No London girl, or any other woman for that matter could surpass her beauty. She looked ethereal and angelic as his gaze was transfixed on her.

Jasmine walked on towards the pavilion with her mother, sister, and cousins, approaching it. Finally reaching, they carefully helped her ascend the steps onto the stage. She was touched at Max's mother's gesture when she lovingly sat her down in a plush seat next to Max. He flashed her a smile as she faced him coyly, awestruck by her beauty. After all, no matter what she had with Logan, Jasmine was to be _his_ at the end of the day. And he found pride in the same fact.

_Possessive lover much? _

It was a joyous occasion for all. Riley gave a side hug to her mother and father as their happiness reached no extent, seeing their darling daughter finally getting engaged. Logan watched from afar as a bashful smile was on Jasmine's lips, at how happy she looked. He narrowed his eyes at her and lifted his leg onto the ledge in front of him, bending over at his waist. His lips were slightly parted as he eyed her on with concentration. Yet, there was something mischevious and playful about his eyes. Numerous girls who were attending the function as guests felt their hearts flutter as they watched Logan eye the bride, oh why couldn't he look at THEM that way? Gosh, he was just so attractive in that blue blazer.

There was just one person whose heart did absolutely NOT flutter for him. Jasmine. She glared at him once again as he eyed her with a challenge, and looked away, as if he didn't matter at all. He enjoyed her sassy nature – it made the chase all the more fun.

Garrett was just casually passing by, eating a chocolate ball in hand, when out of the corner of his eye he noticed Logan's figure bent down on a ledge. He stopped in his tracks and came closer to his periphery as he saw the thing he was peering so affectionately at. A smiling Jasmine on the stage nearby. _He isn't… in love with her, is he? No…. _He trailed off in his mind. He peered beside Logan. "Bro, you haven't changed your mind about payback, have you?"

"No way, dude. I'm just waiting for the moment when _M-ax _is gonna feed Jasmine the pastry with his own hands." A devilish smirk was on his lips as he eyed a happy Jasmine in front of him. Garrett smiled at the same. _Phew. _

Riley and Kimmy walked on through the open halls. Sudden excitement filled Riley's eyes as she noticed two familiar boys leaning on the railing, their backs facing her. She perked up, and surprised them as her feet, along with Kimmy's, approached them.

"How do I look?" She asked with an effervescent smile.

"Gorgeous!" Logan enthusiastically gave her a thumbs-up. She looked like his cutie-pie doll, like always. They shared a bond like no other – she was the little baby sister he never had. He still remembered how he'd always pinch her cheeks in their childhood when she was just a mere child.

Riley giggled in return at Logan's compliment. She could always count on her Logan to pamper her just like an older brother. Yet, she had no idea what extent Logan would actually be willing to go to in the future to protect her with all his might.

"You're the most beautiful girl in the whole ceremony, I swear!" Garrett added with a little bit more enthusiasm than Logan. She looked very cute! Plus, she was a lot of fun to hang out with – he still remembered how much fun he had dancing with her on the cruise on New Years'. It wasn't romantic or anything, they just partied away like buds. She beats those London bimbos any day.

Riley giggled again, and this time even blush appeared on her cheeks as she looked at Kimmy.

Lighthearted moments between the four were interrupted as a girl strode up to Riley, worry lines firmly visible on her forehead. "Hey Riley! Do you know where the packet of rat poison is? I can't find it."

"It's probably on the kitchen counter, near the stove."

Riley's words briefly caught Logan's attention. _Hmm. What a coincidence. That's where I put the tray of sweets and pulled the stunt of putting laxative powder on the pastries. _

The girl shook her head. "All I found _there_ was this packet of _laxative_." She showed Riley the packet as she pulled it out in front of her.

Logan's eyes immediately grew wide and his face fully turned towards the girl he'd never seen before. It looked like his eyes would jump out of his sockets.

"_Laxative?_" She asked as she took the white packet in her hands. "Where did _this _come from?"

Extreme confusion and shock was written all over his face as he recalled pouring the white powder all over the pastry tray like no tomorrow.

Riley's voice brought him out of his reverie as she casually didn't take heed to the girl's words seriously. "I'm sure the guy at the store must've given us laxative instead of rat poison. C'mon let's go."

As Riley and her two friends walked away, Logan and Garrett's faces went pale, their faces white and void of colour. What had they just done. If the stuff that he put in the pastry tray wasn't laxative, then….

_AH SHITTTTT. _

Garrett watched as Logan immediately jumped on his feet and dashed away. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He was surprised at Logan's gesture, was he really going to heroically throw away the pastry plate on the stage? He was proved wrong as Logan instead kept his character intact and jumped over the railing, dashing his way into the kitchen to check whether he indeed did put laxative in the pastries.

His heels skidded to a rash stop as he reached the kitchen, and then briefly started again as he searched in every nook and cranny of every cupboard and closet for the familiar white packet. Meanwhile, Jasmine and Max happily exchanged their engagement rings, and both families couldn't be happier at the joy of the moment. Jasmine blissfully hugged her father as she rested her head on his chest. Her happiness knew no bounds.

As he searched to and fro panting like a mad man, his eyes wandered to a white substance in the garbage can in the corner. He hastily walked up to it, picking up the packet in hand. He turned it around to see the label – "_Poison to Eradicate Rats". _

His eyes went wide in horror. "So that means, the stuff I put in the pastry tray wasn't laxative… but RAT POISON?!" Oh no. What had he done. "Where's the pastries?" He had to find the pastry tray before it was too late and Jasmine ate one.

Realizing that the tray could already be on the stage ready for Jasmine to eat, he made a dash for it, running to get the tray back before it was too late. His feet skidded to a stop, and he was flushed and out of breath as the sight before him shocked him to the core. A pastry held between Max's fingers was mere millimetres away from Jasmine's open mouth as she was just on the verge of engulfing it. He ran again, like his life depended on it, suggesting future hesitation.

He threw the whole tray up in the air while in the midst of throwing away the pastry near her mouth. To say everyone was utterly shocked at his action… was an understatement. Max's mother roared at the same, demanding to know the reason behind his actions. It took hours and hours to make those pastries, and they were for the last part of the ceremony! How dare he – she knew the boy was ill-mannered from the start.

Logan watched in heavy hesitation as everybody was asking him, revolted at his actions. They stared at him in shock and bewilderment. And Logan? He had nothing to say. What would he say? He mixed laxative diarrhea into the pastries that Jasmine was supposed to eat? Yeah, that'd go down so well with Shans and Mark. Girls from afar looked at the expressions on Logan's face – albeit what the situation was, he looked so adorable like a schoolboy caught stealing candy.

_Think, Logan. Think. _

_Got it. _A last resort to save himself. No one expected it, not even his best friend Garrett, for Logan to rub his temples and then faint right on the spot. They all looked on as he fell to the ground, unconscious on his back.

* * *

**Next time on Boundless: **

Logan and Jasmine get caught in a sticky situation when a police officer mistakes Logan's action of pulling Jasmine's scarf out of his tire for them doing something far more inappropriate. "Let's go to the police station."

When Logan and Jasmine go to the police station as per the officer's orders, Logan's mom calls him on his phone. Logan stood behind the officer's desk, while Kim sat on a bench outside his office, as per Logan's orders. He wanted her to let HIM handle this. He picked up his phone and hastily replied, "Mom, I'll call you back later." In a haste to solve the situation at hand, he puts his phone on the desk, forgetting to press the end button on his iPhone. Logan's mother is appalled when she overhears Logan's voice. "Actually sir, that girl outside is my _fiancé_. My future wife."

After hearing those words, she immediately hangs up her phone, utterly shocked. "Fiance? That's it, we're going to Gardenia ASAP."

However, once there, she gets yet another shock. Her eyes pop out of her socket when she walks out the airport doors and onto the street of Gardenia, shocked at what she was seeing. Nora is shocked and surprised seeing Logan and Jasmine, too close for comfort. Her son was millimetres away from a brunette girl, romantically zipping up her jacket. But that jacket was Logan's. She could recognize it anywhere. What was going on? Her worst fears were coming true – her darling son getting romantically involved with a _GARDENIAN. _

What would become of Logan and Kim's relationship now?

Keep reading BOUNDLESS to find out!


	7. Heart Beats

All of Jasmine's family crowded around Logan's bed as he lay unconscious, his eyes closed. Jasmine was nowhere to be seen by Logan's bed, as she was currently engrossed in a phone conversation with Max in her own room. The doctor sat by Logan on a chair close to the bed, doing a diagnostic. Worry lines were clearly visible on Shannon's face as she brushed her fingers through his hair to soothe him.

"Doctor, why hasn't he woken up yet?" Shannon asked, looking at her husband in worry.

"It's nothing to worry about, Mrs. Curda. The boy has fainted because of fatigue." Little did the doctor know that Logan had hardly done any work apart from roaming around to and fro with Jasmine. Being the drama queen he was, Logan made a cute innocent face with his eyes still closed while the doctor told Shannon that he fainted because of fatigue.

Garrett silently snickered as the doctor continued to assure Shannon that Logan would be fine by tomorrow with the aid of some medicines he would prescribe him. Richard let out a relieved sigh at the doctor's words.

"Look! He's awake!"

Shannon heard Jasmine's great-aunt cry, and immediately looked down at Logan to see him slowly opening his eyes. _Oh my poor baby,_ she thought as she looked at him having the most innocent, naïve look on his face. Realizing that Logan was getting overwhelmed by all the commotion by Jasmine's relatives that they were causing at seeing Logan finally coming to, Shannon silenced them all. "Hey, quiet all of you! Please!" _You'll give him a headache with all the yelling_. Concerned and worried still, she looked at Logan again. "Are you okay?"

Garrett smiled at Logan's antics as he pretended to be so confused and bewildered. _What a drama queen. Nice timing, bro._

Logan fluttered his eyes open innocently as Richard gave the doctor his fees, and the doctor left the Curda residence.

"Did you hear that?" Richard scolded Logan, but with an endearing tone.

Logan blinked his eyes back again, maintaining his innocent façade.

"You've been working all day." Richard sighed. "Of course you fainted!" As he continued to berate Logan out of concern for the boy, Garrett smiled at Logan at the amount of care and love he was getting.

"No, Chuck. It's nothing like that – " He spoke weakly as if he really had fainted for real, but was interrupted by his darling Shans.

"Oh shut up, Logan. He's right. You take some rest now, and I'll send over your dinner here to your room." Logan nodded feebly as Shannon got up and told everyone to go out of his room so that he could rest.

Shannon however stopped on her heel as she was leaving as a thought came into her mind. "By the way Logan, why didn't you let Jasmine eat that pastry?"

_Busted_. Logan worriedly looked over at his best friend who had been sitting at the foot of his bed the whole time. Both of them looked at each other nervously, not sure what to say. Logan's eyes wavered over to Shannon's figure cowering over him. She wasn't budging this time – the curiosity had ignited in her mind, and she needed an answer.

Come to think of that, now everybody's curiosity sparked as all of Jasmine's cousins, aunts, sister, and father looked at Logan with a tilted head, expecting an answer.

His gaze wandered over to Garrett's nervous face as he lowered his gaze from him. It seemed like even Garrett was fresh out of ideas this time. He looked back at Shannon, stuttering profusely as he tried to think of a reasonable explanation for his absurd actions. "Actually uh uh – "

"uh-uhm - because of the rats!" And Garrett's quick presence of mind saved him.

Well, not really.

Logan looked back at his best friend, confused. _What was he up to? _

Shannon mouthed out the word rats in confusion. Rats? She didn't understand.

Garrett briefly paused to recollect his thoughts. "When Logan went into the kitchen, a bunch of rats were crowded around the plate of sweets."

Riley, Kimmy, and the girl who had earlier showed the packet of laxative she had found in the kitchen were appalled, their eyes wide.

As Garrett explained that was the reason for his actions, Logan's gaze wavered between Jasmine's family and his best friend.

"Right Logan?" He winked with his right eye at his mate.

He complied, and let out a breathless yes as he nodded slightly as if he was still in pain and head dizzy.

"Oh dear Lord! Then why didn't you say so?" Shannon asked.

Logan remained silent as he looked over at his best friend smiling at him. _Safe and Sound_.

"Oh Thank God! If Jasmine would've eaten that pastry…" The thought itself scared her. If it wasn't for Logan, her daughter would've been in the hospital right now.

"Well done Logan." Jasmine's father patted his shoulder, thankful and proud of him for saving his daughter who he cherished beyond means.

Logan slowly raised himself as everyone walked out, making sure they were all out of sight before he turned his face towards his best friend sitting in front of him. Once all clear, a wide grin plastered onto his lips as Garrett playfully winked at him.

* * *

"Jasmine!"

_Mom? _She heard her mother's voice and realized that she was coming into her room. "Max, I'll call you later. Goodbye." She said politely in a whisper as she hastily cut the call and put down her phone on her desk. Her mother entered her room as Jasmine buried her face into a book, putting a façade of being deeply engrossed in the novel that she was reading upside down. Luckily, her mother failed to notice the same as she began to place her daughter's clothes in her wardrobe closet.

"Oh what a nice man Max is. Bless his soul, he doesn't take anything to heart."

Jasmine smiled inwardly when her mother praised her now official fiancé. However, the smile vanished as soon as it had appeared when just the next second, her mother began to say that her darling Logan was no less – he was an angel.

Say what now? Was she being serious? She immediately stood up from her chair, and turned around to face her mother, quite upset at her words. It was Logan's whole fault that her engagement was ruined in the first place!

"YEAH RIGHT he's an angel!" Jasmine's mother was surprised by her outburst. "He ruined my whole engagement!"

"You don't even know anything," her mother rebutted her grumbling. "Do you know WHY Logan didn't let you eat that pastry?"

Jasmine could care less. _Why? _She expressed sarcastically.

"Some rats in the kitchen got a hold of the pastry tray, and were eating out of it like no tomorrow. Thank the Lord Logan saved you, or else who knows what state you'd be in right now." She went back to putting Jasmine's clothes on her hangars, and then hanging them in her closet.

Jasmine's eyes softened at the thought of Logan's gesture. Did he really do that for her? A ghost of a smile played on her lips. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

Logan and Garrett leisurely lay on their bed, their legs sprawled across the mattress.

"Dude Garrett, you're awesome, man!"

Garrett laughed in thanks.

"What a good reason you gave to Shans! Straight from a villain to a hero."

Both boys shared a laugh as they exchanged a fist punch with each other, colliding their fists.

"I have many hidden talents." Garrett said nonchalantly as Logan smiled at his best friend. "And anyways, even _God_ was on our side today." He said as he moved his eyes briefly upwards with a smile. "I mean – that girl found the laxative packet, and we didn't even get caught." Unable to control his laughter, he continued in between snickers, "'Cause Riley thought (snicker) that the guy at the store gave them (snicker) laxative instead of rat poison!" It couldn't _just_ be a coincidence. So bloody hilarious.

Logan spoke up. "Exactly. If God listens to us without us even praying, then why do people even pray?"

_Point to be noted_. "Hmm." Garrett mused, nodding his head, thinking about Logan's words. "Maybe because He pays more heed to those who pray to Him?"

"You got a point there." Logan innocently raised his lips into a smile.

Little did Logan know that God hadn't saved the rascal, but instead had made his life more difficult, as he would soon find out.

As they shared a few hearty laughs between each other, Logan noticed Jasmine standing at their door out of the periphery of his eye. He looked at Garrett, who had the same dumbfounded look he had. Looking back at Jasmine to see her with a tray of orange juice, he shifted his position on the bed, acting like he was still weak from the day's happenings. He beckoned her to come in and sit on his bed near them as he rubbed his temples, moaning in pain.

Jasmine meekly complied as she sat on the edge of his bed. "How are you feeling now?"

"Much better. Thanks."

Garrett watched with an amused smile as a grin played on Jasmine's lips and she looked down.

"Mom told me how you saved me today." Jasmine looked up to face him.

"Oh Shans! She can't keep anything inside her chest." He commented in a modest manner and a grin adorned his lips as he adjusted himself on the pillow he was leaning on.

Garrett watched the flirty interaction between the two and silently snickered, his mind whirled around the hilarious scenario.

"Thank you so much Logan!"

"You're welcome, Jasmine." He said as he raised his head slightly to speak, his voice soft.

Her lips morphed into a wide grin at his words, and she picked up the glass of orange juice on her tray, moving it towards him. "Here, fresh orange juice."

"Oh, Jasmine! You shouldn't have…" He scooched a little ways closer to her, taking the glass in hand.

"Oh c'mon Logan, you'll feel better. Here."

"Thanks." He flashed an earnest smile her way as he grasped his hand around the glass.

A few comfortable moments of silence passed between them as they smiled at each other. "By the way, you aren't as bad as I thought you were." Logan was touched at how sweet she was being with him.

Garrett tried to suppress his smile as Logan told Jasmine that he wasn't a bad person at all. Oh she had no idea. Nope – not bad at all.

"You don't even know me that well."

Jasmine shyly smirked at his comment. "I'll get to know you over time." A flirty smile crossed her lips, and Logan was taken aback, surprised at how sweet and flirty she was being with him.

Garrett on the other hand, couldn't believe his eyes. These two couldn't even go two seconds without being ready to sling each other's throats, and now they were having a quite flirty conversation. Who knew. Boy, if only Jasmine knew…

"Okay well I'm gonna go now." She bid them both a polite goodnight as she picked up the tray off his bed, and got up to leave the room.

As soon as she was out of sight, Logan looked at Garrett with a crooked smile. For the first time, he actually enjoyed a conversation with Jasmine, and he'd be lying if he said they didn't have a moment for a second there. "You know, she's not that bad when she actually behaves half-decently." Didn't he know? This was the beginning of every love story.

The cool, orange liquid resonated down Logan's throat as he gulped most of it down. A quarter of it remained as he commented that the juice tasted quite good.

Garrett smiled as he quirked his eyebrows at him. _Of course it did. Courtesy of Jasmine making it. Whether he believed it or not, but his best friend DID have __something_ _for her._ "Oh really. Drink it up, then."

Gladly. He continued to gulp it quickly down his throat, relishing in its taste. Setting the empty glass on the glass table beside him, he told Garrett to go turn off the lights so that they could sleep.

However, not a second had passed that he began to feel a rumbly in his tummy, and immediately cried out in protest. "WAIT! Don't turn them off yet. I'm just gonna go to the washroom."

Not able to control it for another second, he dashed as fast as he could off the bed and into the washroom nearby.

* * *

An irritated expression was on Jasmine's face as she stared into space in her room. Oh, how she despised him. She was right – Logan was no angel!

_Flashback (Jasmine POV)_

_"Even God was on our side today!" Garrett said as he moved his eyes briefly upwards with a smile. "I mean – that girl found the laxative packet, and we didn't even get caught." Unable to control his laughter, he continued in between snickers, "'Cause Riley thought (snicker) that the guy at the store gave them (snicker) laxative instead of rat poison!"_

_Before going off to Logan's room again, Jasmine was in the kitchen, mixing some laxative powder from the same packet that Logan had brought for her into his glass of orange juice. Once she had found out what Logan's real motives were, she wouldn't live this down. As she stirred the spoon around the glass, dissolving the powder into the juice, a smirk played on her lips. "Alright Mr. Logan, be prepared to spend the whole night in the __restroom__ tonight." _

_END FLASHBACK_

* * *

**Time: 10:30**

Logan walked in back to his room, hand on his stomach, moaning in pain. The orange juice had started to take its effect.

"What's wrong Logan?" Concerned, Garrett beckoned him to come sit down on the bed and try to relax. Logan was just about to settle down onto the mattress, but felt his stomach pain again. "Logan!" His cry was left unheard as Logan immediately rushed to the bathroom once again. In return, Garrett face-palmed.

Logan entered again, constipated expressions on his face, groaning in pain once again. "You okay?"

"Don't ask, man."

And the cycle repeated again and again the whole night.

**Time: 4:50 A.M. **

Poor Garrett. He rubbed his eyes sorely as Logan came in through the doors for the umpteenth time that night. Loyal best friend that he was, he didn't sleep a wink the whole night.

Albeit Logan moaned and groaned profusely with constipated expressions on his face, he finally managed to seat himself down the bed. However, the pain didn't stop. "Dude, I think she put something in the juice," he said, not without grunting in a constipated manner constantly throughout his spoken words.

_Damn you Jasmine, why you so smart? _Garrett reveled at the thought at seeing the state of his friend. "Oh not just _something_, I think she did what you wanted to do!" Jasmine had turned the tables on him – his plan had backfired on himself.

* * *

The next morning:

Jasmine was mindlessly sipping on her green tea for the day, her eyes scanning the words off the newspaper in hand, when her eyes wandered over to a half-sleepy Logan with messy bed hair striding into the courtyard, Garrett following behind. Her lips immediately curved upwards into the widest grin possible – he looked like he hadn't slept a wink. Oh but last night _she_ had had the most blissful sleep ever in a long time. _Revenge was indeed sweet_. Logan grumpily looked at a wide-grinned Jasmine as he walked through the courtyard over to the open sink. _This isn't over_.

Jasmine stifled a laugh as he glared at her briefly as he walked on, wishing her aunts a friendly good morning. She continued to have a smirk on her lips and playful eyes as her great-Aunt beckoned one of her cousins to make some tea for Logan while he started to brush his teeth.

Squeezing out some toothpaste from the tube and putting it onto his brush, he looked over his shoulder as he heard a taunting 'good morning' from Jasmine behind him as she leisurely sat on a lawn chair, sipping on some tea.

"Good morning." His voice was monotone and cold as he faced the front again.

She continued to grin at his state and taunted again, "You look quite fresh this morning. Looks like you slept quite well last night."

Logan recalled his so-called 'good sleep' last night with heavy eyelids – the image of him bending down to rest on his bed, and then no sooner getting back up to dash to the restroom haunted his mind. He looked over his shoulder again to see her wholeheartedly laughing her head off. _Gloat all you want, Jasmine. I'll make sure you regret doing this to me._

* * *

Shannon walked up to her daughter just as she was leaving the courtyard. "Jasmine honey, why don't you go wedding shopping today?"

"Shopping? Already? Isn't it too soon?"

"Nonsense. There are just a few days left for the wedding!" Truth was, her husband had informed her that the mortgage guy was coming home later in the afternoon to inspect the house. Jasmine's future in-laws had demanded more money for the wedding, and fresh out of resources of money, the last resort had been to mortgage off their house. Of course, Jasmine couldn't know a thing about this. Hence, he told his wife that Jasmine shouldn't be at home when the mortgage man comes.

Her daughter pondered at the same; she found it a little bit weird, but she guessed it made sense. "Umm… okay. I'll go call Riley," she said as she started to walk towards her room. However, her steps were stopped short, courtesy of her mother as she objected.

"Riley has already gone off to college." She mused. _Perfect. _"Why don't you go with Logan?"

His eyes immediately snapped with mischief and a twinkle. "How about it Logan? You'll take her, won't you?" He released his hold off his toothbrush that was previously circling around his teeth, white foam all around his lips. Turning around fully to a wide-eyed disheveled Jasmine, he gladly complied. "Yeahh Shans!" His enthusiastic words sounded jumbled together, courtesy of the foam and toothpaste in his mouth. "For sure!"

Logan continued to brush his teeth as Jasmine wildly protested. "No Mom! I don't want to go! Please!" His foam-covered lips curved upwards into his signature smirk as he looked at the whining expression on her face. _Payback time_.

His smirking gaze didn't waver from her as her father came in and both managed to convince her to go shopping with him. She reluctantly left the courtyard to go change and get ready, but not without profusely sending a menacing glare his way. Of course, he was unaffected by the same.

His gaze trailed her figure as she walked out his sight, and remained focused on where she once stood. _Okay Ms. Jasmine Richard Curda, time to go shopping. If I don't make you suffer a worse fate this afternoon than what I suffered last night, then change my name from Logan Watson._

* * *

Gliding smoothly down the asphalt roads, Logan was in the driver's seat, one hand leisurely on the steering wheel as he drove. Jasmine looked over beside her as she sat in the passenger seat towards him, rolling her eyes - an irritated expression on her face as he casually whistled a high carefree tune as if he had no care in the world. She couldn't believe she was stuck with him.

A smirk played on his lips as he briefly looked away from the road to see her look at the road blankly with a pout.

As Logan continued to whistle along the ride, Jasmine looked down at the phone in her lap, as it started to ring. She picked it up and held it up with her right hand. _Max? _A bashful smile immediately encased her lips as she happily put the phone to her ear. "Hello."

"Mother just spoke with your mother. You've gone shopping." A sinister, possessive tone was in his voice, but went unnoticed by Jasmine who was just happy he called so she wouldn't have to deal with Logan's incessant whistling any longer. As soon as she had picked up her phone, Logan stopped whistling. What do you know - the boy has manners.

"Yes." She shyly let out.

The devil smirk appeared again as Max hatched a plan in mind. "Okay. Do one thing - come to New Market. I'll wait for you there. And then, dump Logan and we'll go shopping together." Jasmine looked triumphantly over at Logan who had an innocent smile on his face, oblivious to their conversation... or so she thought. "I'll drop you home, okay?" Max added.

"Okay. Goodbye."

"New Market." She told him as she looked at him with a smug smirk.

A sly smile grew on Logan's lips as he suddenly swerved the vehicle to the left, turning into an adjacent street. While doing so, Jasmine wildly protested, "Logan! What are you doing - New Market is THAT (gesturing with her hand) way!"

"I know, I know. We'll get there soon enough. For now, let me show you some other places." Logan purposely didn't take her to the market to meet Max - he couldn't pass up this opportunity. He just loved irritating Jasmine, and did like being around her just to annoy her. They shared a sweet love/hate relationship.

* * *

"Have a look at this one, ma'am. I'm sure it'll look great on you." The shopkeeper handed a yellow dress with a multicoloured border in Jasmine's hands.

She took it and draped it on top of her to see how it would look as she looked at the mirror ahead. "Meh, it's alright, nothing special." She clicked her teeth, disapproving. It was okay, but not standing out.

Her eyes drifted to Logan's reflection in the manner as he gestured with his hands and an expression on his face that the dress wasn't all too happening. A frown filled her lips. Irritated, she told the shopkeeper that it's nice and she'd like to get it. Both individuals shared a stare-down through the mirror.

The shopkeeper showed her a new dress. "How bout this one ma'am?"

Her face instantly lit up, grabbing the dress in her hands politely. "Wow, this is _beautiful." _However, her face just as instantly lost its shine when Logan spoke up from behind. "Superb! At least you finally like something worthwhile." An irritated expression crossed her face again as he irritated her by liking every dress she picked, hence causing her to pick a dress she doesn't like just to annoy him. She stuttered briefly before clarifying to Logan that she was talking about the dress she already picked out, putting the dress onto the counter.

"Trust me - I'm positive you'll like this one." The shopkeeper made another attempt to please his customer as he handed her a blue dress. "Here."

Taking the dress and draping it over her shoulder, she was uninterested. _Meh. Not that great._ Logan again annoyed her as he gestured that the dress wasn't all that great. Just like he expected, she again turned back on her decision, telling the shopkeeper to pack this dress too in an effort to spite Logan, even though she didn't like it.

As his lips formed into a thin line across his face, Logan watched as Jasmine profusely glared at him as the shopkeeper began to fold both the dresses quite neatly, and watched her with a smirk on his lips as she then left towards the cash register.

Logan curving his lips upward, he innocently asked the shopkeeper to show him a dress hanging high on the wall nearby.

"Of course!" Gladly complying, he got up to fetch the dress that Logan had asked for. Once he made sure that he wasn't looking his way, Logan slyly pulled out a Swiss Army pocket knife from the pocket of his jeans, opening it to reveal the sharp blade. Scanning his surroundings once more briefly, he cut through the thin fabric of the dress repeatedly, making a big hole in it. Once finished, he closed the blade and put the Swiss Army knife back into the back pocket of his jeans.

The shopkeeper came back with the dress Logan supposedly wanted in his hands to see him with his hands in his pockets standing awkwardly. Not thinking much of it, he gestured the dress towards him. "Here ya go, sir."

"Oh, no no, that's okay." He acted suddenly uninterested in the dress. "Just pack the previous two dresses she decided on," he told him politely.

The shopkeeper complied and smiled.

A smug smirk appeared on Logan's face as he thought of the sweet revenge he was about to have. _This time, Jerry wins this round, Tom. _However, Logan had forgotten the prime rule of this Tom and Jerry game - Jerry _never_ wins.

* * *

Crossing his arms across his chest, Logan walked up to Jasmine with an aura of smug confidence as she stood behind the counter. "That dress isn't really all that great."

Rolling her eyes, she couldn't care less what he thought. As long as that stupid smirk was off his face, it didn't matter. "I like it. And I'm gonna get _that_ dress."

"You _can't_ buy that dress." He said with smug confidence as he inched closer to her.

She immediately turned around. "What do you mean 'I _can't_'?" Glaring at him profusely, "I CAN, and I WILL." Proving her point, she strode over to the counter closer.

"One minute." He said, halting the cashier from ringing up the dress on the register. "This dress of yours is defective."

"Where?" None of the merchandise of this store had defective pieces. He was quite surprised at the customer's allegation.

Not saying a word, he let his actions do all the talking. He picked up the hem of the dress and brought it in front of Jasmine's face. She looked at it with a quite fuming face as she saw a big hole in the middle of the fabric through which she could see Logan's smug confident face. Confident that he had hit the bullseye, he gave the dress back to the cashier. "Here."

"Oh I am extremely sorry about that sir! I'll get you a new one right away!"

"Oh that's okay. Just put it aside, and pack the green one instead." Jokes and pranks aside, Jasmine's twinkling eyes seeing that dress didn't go unnoticed by him. And it _would _look beautiful on her.

"Oh no it's okay. Please pack both of them." Logan was immediately surprised at her words as he looked at her beside him. "_He's_ paying the bill."

"Why me?"

Her lips curved upwards into a smirk. "Because I know exactly _how_ this dress got defective. So pay now."

It took no longer than a mere moment for Jasmine to crumble Logan's smug confidence. The previous smirk that was on Logan's face as he intently listened to her had now dropped down as his lips parted. Even when he won, he lost! What's with her - why does she ALWAYS get the last word?

"Hey, wait a second!"

However, it was too late. Her head held high with victory, she triumphantly left the store.

* * *

Quickly paying for the clothing items, he came running out of the store behind her as she briskly walked through the market streets. Like a true gentlemen, he trailed behind with shopping bags in hand for Jasmine, not that she really gave him a choice with her walking off before him.

"Why do you think that _I'm_ responsible for all the bad things that happen to you?"

"Because that's the truth!" She snapped, turning around to briefly face him behind her and then face the front again as she walked ahead. "I've been telling you for so long that I want to go to New Market and you brought me here!"

"But there's like so many more stores here!"

"SHUT UP! Just _shut. up._" She immediately whirled around to face her, her eyes glowing with anger. How immature could he get! "Not another _word_."

He pretended to zip his mouth as he hovered his finger over his lips. "Happy?" Sarcasm seethed out of his tone.

She rolled her eyes at the same, and couldn't stand him for another second. She stepped on her heel and swiftly left down the street toward the Jeep they came in.

* * *

Meanwhile, Max's anger knew no bounds as he stood near a stall in New Market. God, what was taking her so long? She wasn't doing something with Logan... The thought itself horrified him, the seed of jealousy already implanting continuing to grow to a beanstalk. No. Jasmine was HIS. Only HIS. His possessiveness provoked him to hastily call her up.

"Jasmine! Where are you?! I've been waiting for you at New Market for over an hour!"

His fuming anger didn't go unnoticed by Jasmine as she hastily kept walking towards the Jeep. Oh Gosh, it was only natural that Max would be angry at her - this was all that stupid Logan's fault! "I know I know Max, I'm coming." She quickly replied in guilt and apology, and hung up just as fast, eager to get to her destination.

* * *

Logan's footfalls halted as his eyes set on Jasmine seated in the passenger seat of the Jeep. But his eyes twinkled with mischief when he noticed just one more thing - her white scarf caught in the black tire. Another plan hatched into his mind as he walked around to the driver's seat and placed the bags in the back, seating himself down behind the wheel. This time, it was foolproof. Time to use his secret weapon - his undying charm. And anyways, she did tell him to not utter 'another word'.

Jasmine watched with an annoyed face as Logan mindlessly tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, as if he had all the time in the world. She couldn't take it anymore when he looked at his own reflection in the rear view mirror and started to fix his hair. Irritated, she signaled him with her right hand to start the car and get moving.

Unphased, he ignored her as her gesture went in one eye and out the other. She tried again, flailing her hand more aggressively, but to no avail as he just looked at her with a straight face.

However, the next second the look on his face changed as he moved his whole body toward her, his left arm extending around her seat. His arm hovered around her shoulders as he inched closer to her. The look in his eyes was no longer playful - it was... She couldn't explain it. He just kept looking at her with soft eyes, not tearing his gaze away from her. Apprehensive, she inched backwards in her seat as he moved closer to her, trapping her with his arm hovering over her shoulders. Her heart was beating out of her chest as she tried her best to not look at him, but his smoldering romantic gaze on her as he continued to move closer as she moved back was making it hard. Minimal to nonexistent space existed between the two.

His gaze still fixed on her with his soft eyes, he pulled on her scarf near her body, disentangling it from the tire. He was just about to abruptly pull back, leaving her flustered when an ominous, authoritative, and sneering voice entered his ears, causing not just Jasmine, but also himself to be flustered as they looked away from each other abruptly and at the police officer standing a few meters away from the vehicle. "Well well well. Now what do we have here?" Various people had now crowded around as they witnessed the scene.

The officer walked over to the two lovebirds in the Jeep in a gloating manner as Logan immediately retracted and pulled back, both individuals now sitting upright in their seats, fear clearly written and flushed on their faces. Unfortunately for them, Logan's little prank had put the duo into quite the predicament, as the officer had mistaken his prank for Logan and Jasmine eating each others' faces off... or worse. And in a conventional town like Gardenia, that kind of PDA among two supposed boyfriend-girlfriend duo was definitely against the law. The deed would not go unpunished.

"Sir, it's not what you're thinking. Please listen to me, we - "

"Why in such a hurry. Come to the police station with me - we'll talk there." He looked at Logan more profusely, _you too pretty boy._

* * *

Meanwhile, Nora, Logan's mother was frantically pacing around her room in L.A., phone in hand. She'd made countless calls - but Logan wasn't picking any of them up. The anxiety was slowly killing her - her son hadn't called her in 2 whole days. What was going on over there? She needed to know - she knew she shouldn't have let him go off to Gardenia. Oh, how she hated that uncivilized, low-standard town. But what she despised even more was that wretched excuse of a family - the Curda family.

_Okay let's try again._ She dialed her son's number on her keypad.

* * *

"Alright. Enough joking around now. I want an explanation, and it _better_ be good." The officer sat behind his oak desk as Logan and Jasmine stood in front of him.

Logan put his hands on the chair in front of him. "Sir, the both of us - looking at Jasmine briefly as she looked at him too and then looked down at her phone - I mean, it really isn't what it looks like." He said, pleading that this was all just a misunderstanding. Jasmine on the other hand hastily cut Max's call, too perplexed about the situation at hand.

"Tell me something. What do I look like to you?"

Logan's lips twitched slightly upwards in response as his elbows now leisurely hung over on the chair. A mischievous glint in his tone, he told him, "Sir, your face looks like - "

To Logan's dismay, Jasmine Curda chose to intervene, tugging on his arm. She spoke in a low whisper with anger so that only he could hear her words, "Logan what the heck are you doing? I want to go home."

The police officer looked at the duo as they exchanged glances. "Just sit over there, I'll come soon."

"Yes sir, so I was saying that you - " He said as he ignored her glowering gaze on him and looked at the authoritative figure in front of him.

He was interrupted yet again by a desperate Jasmine putting her hands on the officer's desk, pleading. "Sir please believe us!" She walked around his desk to face him directly. "It's not you're thinking! We - "

_Not again._ Why couldn't she just stay put and let him handle this? He hastily approached her, whirling her around by the arm. Not taking another second to spare he dragged her away from the desk and sat her onto the bench away from his station. However, this didn't go without Jasmine constantly protesting to let her talk to the officer, to which Logan sternly shut her up and told her to let him handle this.

The officer looked at the duo again as Logan dragged her away from the officer. Their bickering whispers didn't go unnoticed by him. "Well lad, this girl seems quite more intelligent than you." He commented while Logan dragged her away.

Walking back to the officer's desk, his phone in his pocket began to ring. "Yeah so I was saying - " He picked up his phone as he stood behind the officer's desk. "Mom?"

_Finally! Her darling son had picked up the call. _"Logan!" A mother's excitedness was evident in her voice.

"Mom, I'll call you back." He hastily replied. In a haste to solve the situation at hand, he put his phone on the desk, forgetting to press the end button on his iPhone. Logan's mother was appalled when she overheard Logan's voice.

Taking a seat behind the desk, Logan inches closer to the officer. "Actually sir, that girl outside is my _fiancé_." He said in a low whisper as if he was letting the officer in on a little secret. Truth be told, Logan only did this so that Jasmine wouldn't hear him. He knew she would totally disapprove of his method of saving them. _Goody two-shoes_.

"Say what now?"

"My future wife."

After hearing those words, Nora immediately hangs up her phone, utterly shocked. "Fiance? Wife?" Her face goes utterly pale, as if she'd seen a ghost.

* * *

Logan's words kept ringing in his mother's brain. _Sir, actually that girl over there is my fiance. My future __wife__._

"Mom? You called for me?"

Nora looked up to see Joshua's first wife Natalie standing before her. "Yes." Her voice was nervous and anxious. "I want you to call your brother Garrett and ask him where him and Logan are. What they're doing, where they go, why Logan hasn't returned to L.A. yet. What the both of them are up to - I want _every. single. detail._"

Natalie was surprised at the tone in her voice. It was jittery and restless. It so wasn't like her at all. "Is - Is everything okay, Mom?"

"Just do as I say." The ultimatum was sharp and commanding.

* * *

"A mere _thank-you_ would suffice you know," Logan said as he trailed behind her as they walked out towards their vehicle.

"Thank you? Thank you for _what? _Taking me to the police station?" A sardonic tone was apparent in her voice as she flinged her bag over her shoulder to the back seat.

"For bringing you out from the police station."

She incredulously looked at him as he stood on the opposite side of the vehicle, near the driver's seat, and her near the passenger's seat. She raised her eyebrow at him angrily as he continued, "if it wasn't for me, you'd still be _in_ the police station."

"If it wasn't for _youu_, I wouldn't even have to _look_ at a police station." She angrily climbed aboard as she settled into her seat.

"Hold on!" He climbed around onto his seat, similar to Jasmine's actions, but with more enthusiasm. "You didn't go to the police station because of me, you went because of your _scarf_ (pointing to it with his index finger when he said the word). _I _didn't tell you to get your scarf stuck in the wheel."

As Logan showed attitude and put the key in the ignition hole, Jasmine revolted. "So you could've told me! _I _would've taken it out."

Casually glancing at her, he objected, "You were the one who said to shut up."

"I told you to _shut up_, NOT MAKE A MOVE on me!" She profusely glared her index finger at his face.

"Oh please! Girls make a move on _me!" _He told her, gesturing towards himself in a cool attitude. "I don't make moves on girls," he said as he stood up cowering over her figure as he scanned his eyes all around her.

Or so she thought. Taken aback by his actions, she cried, "HEYYY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" _'I don't make moves', my foot! Then what the hell is he doing right now, getting all up in my personal space?  
_

"I was just checking to see if your scarf was stuck in the wheel again."

"I swear, you're nothing but trouble!" Averting her eyes away from him, she huffed in anger and jumped off the jeep. "I should just stay away from you!" He ruined her whole day! He's always ruining everything!

No way she was getting the last word again. Not stopping for another second, he watched her speed walk away from him. As she did so, he cried out, standing on his feet, "I'm not interested in coming to you either!"

Jasmine stopped on her heels as Logan sat back down in his seat behind the wheel. Sharply turning around to see him fiddling with the gearshift, she strode over to him. Seeing her stride, he looked up at her in front of him, expecting her to say something. She always needed an excuse to berate him.

"By the way, what did you tell the officer?" She raised her eyebrow at him. "That he let us go?"

"Oh nothing. Just made a request in my cool dude attitude, and he let us go." His lips curved upward into a smirk as she glared at him again. _I knew it, the idiot wouldn't just say the truth! _He playfully gestured with his eyes for her to come sit in the Jeep beside him, moving his eyes to her and then to the periphery of the seat.

_I can't believe he actually thinks I'm gonna get in the car with him after all this. _

Rolling her eyes, she decided to not spare another moment, and turned around the other way to leave the premise, her nose held up high in anger.

He watched her as she left, walking down the road away from her. A smile played on his lips as her figure went down the street. _Gotta admit, she sure is cute when she's angry. _

* * *

"Natalie. Book tickets as soon as possible. We're going to Gardenia." Nora needed to see this for herself. After Natalie had told her that Garrett had spoken to her and told his older sister that they've been staying at Shannon's house and not at the hotel that _she_ had booked for her son and his friend, her suspicions had become more firm. She had to get to the bottom of this.

* * *

Jasmine's mother and great-aunt witnessed yet another bickering tom and jerry session between the two immature adults before them in the living room. Luckily, Logan's phone started to ring, and Shannon's face lit up at the mention of Logan responding with a "Dad" to the individual on the other line. Her excitement accelerated further when Logan said that he would pick Bob up at the airport, as his flight had landed in Gardenia.

"Okay Dad. One minute." Logan turned around to a smiling Jasmine who was laughing away with Riley. "Here. It's Dad." He handed the phone to her upon seeing her giving him a questionable look. "He wants to talk to you."

She willingly took the phone in hand, but not without sending a menacing glare his way.

A heartfelt smile crept up his lips as Jasmine's mood instantly lifted once she said hi to his father on the other line. Although he'd never let the sane part of his conscience admit it, she looked good when she smiled. She looked... nice. Sometimes he would wonder what the equation between them would be if they didn't fight all the time. Would they be friends? More than friends?

"Yes. Yes of _course_ I'll come to the airport." She handed his phone back to him as her effervescent smile was gone and replaced with a thin line, glaring at him again.

She walked up to her mother who was sitting on a couch near the two, "Mom I have to go to the airport."

"Okay, well Logan's going, just go with him," she suggested with a smile.

Grudgingly, she looked over at Logan, boring her eyes at him. _Great, now I'll never get to the airport. It's not like this stupid idiot is gonna let me come with him_.

A thin line across his lips, he spoke, directly looking at Jasmine: "Shans, I'll leave in 15 minutes. Anyone that wants to come can do so, provided they're _ready_ in time." Clearly, it was a taunt directed towards her as she saw him leave with an inflated ego.

Shannon laughed along with Jasmine's Great-Aunt as Jasmine rolled her eyes at Logan's nature. "Oh these two - their habits haven't changed a bit from their childhood days!" The world would end, but Jasmine and Logan's non-stop bickering? Never. She smiled at the thought.

* * *

Leaning his elbow on the Jeep, he looked at his watch for the umpteenth time, waiting for his father and mother to come through the doors as he stood out the airport. As he briefly looked around to pass time, he noticed a shivering Jasmine rubbing her hands up and down her arms when he looked over his shoulder. Albeit Logan is unbelievable and is quite unpredictable, he also had a quite caring and sweet side to him. He knew she wouldn't take the jacket he was wearing if he directly offered it to her, due to her inflated ego. Thoughtful and subtle, he pretended he was feeling quite hot and unzipped it off of him. He took the jacket off, putting it into the back seat where he knew Jasmine would lay eyes on it, and hence wear it.

As he slowly went out of sight, seeming to walk into the airport through the sliding doors, Jasmine apprehensively looked over her shoulder to make sure he wasn't there. She hastily grabbed his jacket from the back seat, pulling it on for size.

However, there was just one thing she was having trouble with - the zipper. It just wouldn't go up. She repeatedly fidgeted with it as she looked down, her gaze practically on the floor. _Oh c'mon, just a little push..._

A pair of soft fingers grasped onto hers, and she immediately felt a spark flow through her. Raising her gaze upwards, she found herself boring into his eyes. The usual mischievous charm in his eyes was not visible. It felt like pure care, concern. He timidly looked into her eyes, and then at the zipper he was holding down below. The duo may annoy the crap out of each other like crazy, but nonetheless they still did have that soft corner for each other.

She released her hands from the zipper as Logan fidgeted with it like she was before. Her hands hung in the air as Logan made his attempt, and seemed to be more successful than she had previously been. She looked at him as he looked down at the zipper, trying to bring it up. For the first time, his actions were touching her heart - he was actually being considerate... caring. No pranks, no mischief. Just Logan, and just Jasmine. His fingers holding onto the zipper while he tried to bring it upwards lingered as he raised his gaze upwards, right into her eyes. An unspoken attraction was between them as they looked on.

_Boundless._

The attraction, the emotions, the looks they gave each other - it was all _boundless. _

And it was due to that _boundless_ attraction that the zipper had finally clicked, and Logan didn't waver his gaze away from her eyes as he pulled the zipper up.

To Jasmine, it felt like her insides were melting. It was as if he was slowly seducing her without even touching her at all. His eyes were enough - he was leaving her flustered even when he doesn't _try_ to do so as a prank.

* * *

Nora gets yet another shock upon her arrival to Gardenia. Her eyes pop out of her sockets when she walks out the airport doors and onto the street of Gardenia, appalled at what she was seeing. Nora is shocked and surprised seeing Logan and Jasmine, too close for comfort. Her son was millimetres away from a brunette girl, romantically zipping up her jacket. But that jacket was Logan's. She could recognize it anywhere. What was going on? Her worst fears were coming true – her darling son was getting romantically involved with a _GARDENIAN. _

Their eyelock was snap broken in an instant when the duo heard Nora's voice adjacent to them. A smile lit up on Logan's face as he gleefully walked up to her and hugged his mother.

"Hey, Dad!" He hugged his father as Bob walked up to his boy, embracing him.

"How are you, my son?"

"Very well!" Bob chuckled at the enthusiasm of his son. It seemed Logan was enjoying his stay in Gardenia. His eyes drifted towards Jasmine as she greeted him with a bow, and then his wife. Bob marveled at the sight before him as she smiled innocently at him. 15 years... it'd been 15 long years since he'd seen her - the last time she was just a wee child with pigtails. Time had done wonders on her - she looked absolutely beautiful. Of course, he'd always see her on skype, but she looked even more ethereal in person.

"My goodness!" He walked up to her and continued, "We've talked on skype countless times, but I had no idea you were so beautiful in person!" He brought his lips to her head as he tenderly kissed her forehead in a fatherly manner. "My goodness." He turned his attention towards his wife as he turned himself around to face her, his arm around his darling Jasmine. "Nora my dear, _this _is our Jasmine."

"I can see that. She's grown up to be quite the lady." She said with a dry voice, which went unnoticed by both father and son. "Logan, tell the driver to get the car."

"Not a car, Mom." A glint of mischief and excitement was in his eyes as he raised the keys looped around his finger up in the air so his father could see. Bob's eyes grew wide with surprise, focusing in on the keys. _No... that couldn't be..._

"If T-Rex can be a dude, then you aren't any less Dad. Your dream Jeep is waiting for you," he said to his Dad, putting the keys into the palm of his hand.

Wonder filled his eyes as he saw his dream Jeep in front of him, the red flames on the bonnet and all. His feet started moving on its own accord toward the vehicle; there was no stopping the inner youth beckoning to come out now.

* * *

**Next time on Boundless:**

Nora hands an envelope with ticket and boarding pass for Bangkok into Logan's hands. "Bangkok ticket?"

"Go on. Your friends are waiting for you."

**0-0-0-**

Jasmine and Logan stand face to face in her room as Logan tells her he won't be attending her wedding as he's finally going to Bangkok.

"Go. Your absence in my wedding is _perfect_." A wide smile encompassed her lips.

"Now how can it be _perfect?_" He said with a teasing tone. "After all... _I_ was your first choice."

She scoffed. "Logan Watson. _My _choice? NEVER."

"All the best."

They shared one final handshake between them.

Logan started to walk past Jasmine leaving her room, when he felt a slight tug on the jacket vest he was wearing. That same _boundless_ spark resonated through him as both individuals turned around to face each other, noticing that a part of Jasmine's wedding dress she was trying on had been entangled with the zipper on his vest. They looked into each other's eyes. Was this a sign? A symbol of the forthcoming future?

What did God and destiny have in store for Logan and Jasmine's future?

Find out next time on _Boundless._


	8. His Opinion

**Chapter 8 – His Opinion: The Most Valuable?**

His eyes widened as he saw the white tickets inside the white coloured envelope that his mother handed in his hands. "Air ticket to Bangkok?" He was having so much fun in Gardenia that he'd completely forgotten about his previous plans for New Years' in Bangkok with his old chaps.

His mother nodded in response as a grin appeared on her lips. "Your Dad has come to Gardenia now. You're free now. Go on, your friends are waiting for you."

Nora watched as her son blankly stared at the envelope in his hands, a thin line across his lips. Although she tried her best not to show it, she was growing apprehensive. Why wasn't Logan happy? Didn't he want to go to Bangkok with his friends? He hadn't fallen in _love_ with that Jasmine, had he? _No…_

Her fears were washed away when Logan embraced her tight in a bone-crushing hug, and she immediately smiled in return. "I love you, Mom."

"You're fantastic!" His happiness knew no bounds as he pulled away, but his hands were still lingered on his mother's upper arms. "How do you always know what I want?" He asked in an ecstatic manner.

"I'm your _mom_, Logan." In a loving manner, she softly placed her hands on both sides of his face.

Logan smiled at the affection of his mother. He really was so lucky to have such great parents. He could never imagine his life without his mom _or_ dad. "But what about Dad?"

"_I'll_ talk to your Dad, don't worry, alright?"

_You're the best Mom._ Giving a light feather kiss on her left cheek, he left the area.

A wicked smile encompassed Nora's lips as Logan left. _The sooner my son goes far away from Gardenia and its people… the better. _

But was Logan really going to leave? Highly unlikely, as she would soon find out to her dismay.

**-0-0-0-**

While Nora was busy convincing Bob to let Logan go to Bangkok, meanwhile Logan was saying his final goodbyes to his darling Shans. Why did he have to go? The wedding was this evening – couldn't he just wait until tomorrow? She'd seen her darling Logan after 15 long years. She didn't want to let go just yet.

"Oh Shans, I promise I'll come visit you and Richard once your daughter leaves," he said warmly as he placed his hands on his favourite Shans's upper arms. "Honestly, I never thought I'd have so much fun here." One might have thought that just like his mother, Logan would've acted like a snob and complain about the village down market life compared to his luxurious past London life, but instead Logan was nowhere close. He turned out to be just like his father, and fit in quite well with everyone.

"Then why are you going?" Shannon's eyes started to well up with tears as she looked up at him. She'd spent time with Logan after 15 long years. She didn't even realize when time slipped by through her fingers – couldn't he just stay a little longer?

He smiled at her affection towards him. "My friends are waiting for me in Bangkok, Shans. And – " His eyes softened as he noticed that his favourite Shans looked down at the ground, dejected. Wet tears on the brim of her lower eyelid, threatening to spill over didn't go unnoticed by him.

He was right – she was being selfish. In the midst of him being around her for the past few days, she'd forgotten that he had a life of his own – a life that was far apart from Gardenia.

Logan enveloped his Shans into a heartwarming hug. Deep down, he didn't want to go either. Shans too relished in the heartwarming hug. Who knew when the next time that she would see him would be. She looked up and inwardly prayed that her Logan get all the happiness in the world, that wherever he may be, he would always be happy.

"Shans, Garrett's waiting for me at the airport. I should leave, hmm?" He said as he pulled away, putting a hand on her right cheek.

Shannon watched Logan's figure as his back faced her and he walked down the hall, thinking that he was going out her home. Little did she know that he made one more stop to a certain person's room before leaving for good. The question was, why was it so important to bid goodbye to this person?

**-0-0-0-**

The wedding day had finally arrived, and it was a time of joy and glee. Everyone was roaming around in hustle and bustle, getting everything perfect for the wedding ceremony to be held in the evening. The ceremony would be held at a Church venue, which also acted as a hall of some sorts, where many quarters and rooms were allotted. Jasmine was given a special room upstairs where the bride was to get ready, while the ceremony would be held at the altar on the main floor.

Riley and the rest of Jasmine's friends continued to praise and compliment how beautiful she looked as she stood in front of her mirror, trying on her wedding dress for size. It was a gold, silky colour, with red embroidery at the bodice, as well as at the border. The tailor, who stood in a corner at the back of her room, interrupted their giddy squeals and whatnot, asking if he could leave now. Jasmine in return objected and slightly scolded him, saying to let her check the fitting properly. After all, you only wear a wedding dress once in your life. The dress would be shown in all the albums, in all the pictures. She had to make sure it was perfect.

Logan slowly walked into Jasmine's room, halting at the door as the sight of Jasmine in her plausible wedding dress adorned his eyes.

Her back was faced to him as he scanned her figure up and down, a half-smile on his lips. She looked ethereal, magical, beautiful. If she looked this good from the back, he could only imagine how she'd look when she would turn around.

He waited for her to notice his presence. She always did – whenever he was around, it was like this voice from somewhere would tell her that Logan was nearby, close nearby, causing her to get momentarily flustered at his arrival.

And just as expected, she felt his gaze on her – she knew he was near her. And to confirm her thoughts, she saw his reflection in her mirror in front of her, the familiar mischief in his eyes and smile on his lips.

The trance was broken as Riley, who was standing beside her older sister, spoke up, noticing Logan standing near the door. "Logan!" She said excitedly. "Doesn't Jasmine look beautiful?" She, along with the rest of Jasmine's friends, urged Logan further.

Logan remained silent as he continued to gaze with narrow eyes and a smile at her figure. But he wasn't the only one. Jasmine too remained silent, blush creeping on her cheeks and an innocent smile playing on her lips as she looked at Logan's reflection looking at her with twinkling eyes like a lightened spark and his lips seemed to twitch upwards as if to smile. Both of the individuals basked in each other's silence as yet another unspoken attraction existed between them.

She whirled around to face him, and saw him standing in his full glory, looking at her. His eyes had that familiar twinkle she'd seen whenever he'd look at her on the sly. That look where she didn't know what was going on in his mind – did he genuinely think she looked pretty? Or was it just another one of his pranks to annoy her? But this time, it seemed real and genuine as he took a step forward, and then another one – the half-smile and charm in his eyes still there on his face.

Jasmine blushed and smiled as he walked up, now only a few feet away from her. The way he looked at her, she was expecting a compliment from him. She would never admit it to her sane self, but the way he looked at her made her feel complete, and whether she'd accept it or not, she did care what he thought about her.

Why wasn't he saying anything? Her face was calm, but her mind was in a whirlwind. She was excitedly waiting for him to say something, to tell her how she looked.

After a long eyelock between them that felt like forever, when Logan finally spoke, Jasmine's smile immediately vanished and fury overtook her face -

"Meh, nothing special."

Logan smiled in content as he noticed Jasmine's nose flaring up in anger. _Now there's that cute, ferocious Jasmine I know_.

"You're _crazy."_ She said as she profusely glared at him, her eyes wide._ I know I look perfectly fine. _

He smirked as he continued, enjoying her flustered state. "Your nose looks about," and he mused as if estimating the right amount, "about an inch and a half longer than usual in this golden-red colour combination."

Riley and the rest of Jasmine's friends immediately erupted in laughter at his comment, while Jasmine slightly turned away dejected, looking into her mirror. The sudden voice of a ranting Great-Aunt about an errand entered Riley's ears, and the posse of girls immediately bolted out the room, fearful of her wrath.

Jasmine raised her nose slightly, adjusting the position of her face at different angles as she looked on into the mirror. A smile crept up on Logan's face as he watched her eye her nose precariously, checking whether it really did look an inch longer. Oh how he loved to annoy her.

"Can I go now ma'am?"

She turned around, hearing the tailor's voice. "Yeah, you can go." She answered with an irritated tone. As he did as told, Logan looked at Jasmine with a half-smirk as she glared at him with wide eyes, a look that could kill.

"You're not as _funny_," (snapping her fingers and pointing her index finger at him), "as you think you are." She barked. "I know it, this gold-red combination really suits me."

_Ya sure you're not saying that to yourself? _He smirked at her.

"I don't need your opinion." No matter what she said, there was no denying that she did feel disappointed when he didn't compliment her. His opinion _did_ matter to her.

He started to walk backwards as he spoke, "When your husband is gonna see you with that 1.5 inch nose on your wedding night and then scream," he chuckled as he said the words, "'witch witch'," and stopped walking, standing in place, "THEN you're gonna miss me."

She took no longer than a millisecond to scoff in return. "Miss _you?_ NEVER."

"Our feelings are so mutual, aren't they?"

She crocked her head to the side, somewhat confused. _Feelings_?

"I won't miss you either." He told her, the smile on his face conveying that he was about to say something exciting and revealing. "In _Bangkok_."

Momentarily, Jasmine felt as if the wind had knocked off her feet off the ground as she let out a loud gasp, shocked at his forlorn words. However, a moment later she recomposed herself as a thin line crossed her lips, and curiosity filled her mind. "In Bangkok?"

"I won't be able to _bear_ the pain of your farewell." Her eyes widened further as he spoke with a taunting voice. "That's why I'm leaving. Right _now_."

The moment he said he's leaving. Her entire eyes told a different story. She was disappointed. Body language stiffened up and as much as she could try, he read her eyes. His expressions with a smirk changed into sadness. He didn't want to leave and somewhere along the way he wished she would tell him to stay but words found themselves at a loss…

The EYES. They spoke more volumes than anything else.

He eyed her precariously as she walked over to face him, a confident smile on her face. What was going on in her mind? Was she going to miss him? Was she sad to hear that he was leaving? It looked like it. But now he just wasn't sure, seeing that spunky expression on her face again.

"Have fun." She said with a smile.

He was taken aback. She was… happy for him?

"A vacation in Bangkok? _Perfect_."

He watched a smirk adorn her lips, one that _he _would usually have as she spoke. "Your absence in my wedding? _Absolutely_ perfect." A wide smile encompassed her lips.

"Now how can it be _perfect?_" He said with a teasing tone. "After all... _I_ was your first choice."

Logan definitely was Jasmine's first choice – even if it was through a misunderstanding of identity. She may not admit it, but her heart initially did start to beat for Logan when she was kept in the dark.

She scoffed. "Logan Watson. _My _choice? NEVER."

Jasmine was surprised when in the midst of eyeing her, Logan gave her an earnest smile. At least, it looked genuine. Plus, his words weren't exactly consisting of their usual petty fights – "Anyways… For your future and your marriage – "

She was pleasantly surprised as her eyes focused in on Logan's outstretched hand in front of her. It looked like he was asking for a handshake. Was it a truce? A final goodbye?

Looking back up at him, she observed his face for a while, trying to decipher what his intentions were. He seemed genuine. Her thoughts were confirmed when the corners of his lips twitched upwards slightly in a sincere manner, his eyes conveying purity, innocently urging her to accept his handshake.

He smiled when Jasmine looked at him with a smile and honest eyes.

Time paused as Jasmine placed her hand in his, shaking his hand happily. The duo innocently grinned at each other as their hands fit perfectly into each other's. Neither one of them was aware of the fact, but their hands had fit like two pieces of a puzzle, meant to fit together. Was this really the final goodbye for them? What did God have in store for their future?

"Have a safe journey."

Logan smiled at her words of goodwill. They shared a blissful eyelock as the duo wholeheartedly wished each other good luck for their own respective futures.

Her hand lingered briefly in the air as they both let go, bringing their hands back to their own respective bodies. In that brief moment, the inner part of Jasmine's conscience didn't want to let go. However, the more sane part of her overtook, and she took a step to walk past him. In fact, not only Jasmine, Logan also took a step forward like she did, both of them intending to part their separate ways, back into their own worlds, their own lives - before they had met in Gardenia.

He felt a slight tug on the jacket vest he was wearing, and she felt her footsteps halting, something not allowing her to move any further. That same _boundless_ spark resonated through him as both individuals turned around to face each other, noticing that a part of Jasmine's wedding dress she was trying on had been entangled with the zipper on his vest. They looked into each other's eyes. Was this a sign? A symbol of the forthcoming future?

What did God and destiny have in store for Logan and Jasmine's future?

Both of them were at a loss for words as they looked at each other, bewildered. Logan's eyes drifted from Jasmine's, and then at the zipper, which was entangled with the hem of Jasmine's dress.

A surprising softness glimmered in his eyes as he raised his hand, forcibly disentangling the fabric from his zipper. She looked up at him as he handed her her dress back. She smiled in understanding, and grabbed the hem by the pad of her fingers.

She felt his gaze on her as he smiled at her, and slightly blushed to turn away from him. Both individuals started to walk in opposite directions, smiles plastered onto their faces as one walked towards the door, and the other towards her mirror.

Their footfalls halted midway as they thought of each other. Both individuals paused, musing about the other. It was if they felt each other not satisfied with their goodbye, and the need to see the latter just one more time caused them to both whirl around to face each other _at the same time_.

Moments of silence that felt like eons passed between them as they just looked at each other with wide grins on their faces. Their eyes gleamed with happiness, finding each other in their eyes.

"Goodbye." She bowed with her right hand as a final farewell, hoping to never see him again. This would be the final closure to their story.

He raised his left hand to return the gesture, but he paused, and his hand remained lingering in the air. He fervently remembered her words as her image propped into his mind _– "you bow with your right hand." She did a little demo for him, bending downwards to bow with her right hand._

Immediately, he switched hands, and repeated her gesture, bowing with his right hand. "Goodbye."

She widely grinned as he bid her farewell. His thoughtfulness touched her, and she turned around away from him as he finally left her room, walking out the door… never to return again. _Or so she thought_.

In fact, there _was_ no end. Because boundless meant limitless. And no limits meant that neither was there a boundary of a beginning, nor a boundary of an end. This was just the start… to a new journey of finding _boundless_ love.

**-0-0-0-**

Mindlessly smiling in lost thoughts just moments after he left, Jasmine sat on her plush chair behind her mirror. However, her smile faltered as she remembered his words in her mind – _"Your nose looks about," and he mused as if estimating the right amount, "about an inch and a half longer in this golden-red colour combination." _

Her gaze went deeper into the mirror before she scrunched up her face in a cute manner, giving different angles to see how her nose looked. Did it really look longer in this dress? His words had constantly overtook her mind – he had such an effect on her that she was still thinking about his comment on her nose.

**-0-0-0-**

Presuming that Logan must've reached L.A. by now, Nora decided to call her son up before his connecting flight to Bangkok. To her dismay, she was in for a shocker when a female voice picked up the call on the other line. It sounded oddly familiar, just like…

"Jasmine?"

"Hi Nora!" She said in an endearing tone, as she knew who the other person on the line was, courtesy of the good ol' feature of caller ID.

"What are you doing with Logan's phone? Where is Logan?" Did he not go to L.A.? Why was his phone with Jasmine? WHERE WAS HE?

"Actually Nora when Logan came to say goodbye, he left his phone here. I just noticed it too." As she casually roamed around her room, she had noticed it lying on the ground. She then assumed that he must have dropped it by accident when he was trying to disentangle her dress from his zipper.

Nora let out a relieved sigh. "Oh all right. Bye." She rudely hung up.

**-0-0-0-**

Jasmine flopped onto her chair in front of her mirror, nonchalantly organizing her jewellery for the wedding ceremony later today. A familiar ringtone sounding below on the dressing table in front of her brought her out of her actions as she set down the bracelets to pick up Logan's phone. She looked at the caller ID in an observant manner and was surprised –

_Cutie_? What kind of a name is that?

Nevertheless, and intrigued, she cautiously picked it up, putting his phone to her ear.

"Hello?" She said, an irritated expression on her face.

"Logan! Baby, where are you? You _are_ coming to Hataya Beach at noon, right?"

"Logan forgot his phone here. I'll let him know you called." She answered. Aggravated still, she was about to hang up and put the phone down, but that annoying, pestering, posh female British voice intervened.

"Who are you?"

"Jasmine." She replied with confidence, rolling her eyes.

"Are you his maid?"

"No."

"Then who are you?"

"Enemy." She boldly replied as she stood up on her two feet, cutting the call. She angrily set the phone on the dresser.

She started to organize her jewellery on her dresser again, but not without muttering in the process. "Gosh, his friends are as irritating as him." She mimicked a posh British voice, "_cutie._" A hint of jealousy was in her voice.

However, the incessant ringtone started again. She picked it up, and a mischevious expression on her face appeared when she saw the caller ID.

"Kissy?"

She precariously listened to another flirty, British high-pitched female voice on the other line – "Sweetheart! Where are you? You were supposed to meet me at one o'clock?"

"Don't worry. Your 'sweetheart' is on his way to kiss you at one." Huffing, she angrily cut the call yet again.

Seating herself down to resume her organizing, she was interrupted once more by that annoying ringtone.

She was exasperated as she picked up the phone and held it in her right hand. _I don't believe this_. "Oh my God! Cutie, kissy, and now _huggie_?"

"Honey! You said you'd be in Bangkok by two o'clock! Have you arrived?" Jasmine rolled her eyes profusely as yet another high pitched British girl spoke on the other line.

"Don't worry, you'll get your hug by 2!" She replied in an exasperated tone, instantly hanging up as she harshly set the phone on the dresser again.

To say she was annoyed with all the calls on his phone… was an understatement. "noon, one, two… he's given them all appointments!" What's wrong with him? What was with him and all these weird names for his girlfriends? Couldn't he store the contacts with their real names? Why these absurd nicknames?

She shuddered at the thought of his playboy reputation. _London return Mr. Logan… what else can I expect from such a boy. _"Thank the Lord he left."

Her lips suddenly parted in a forlorn manner as she gaped at the round mirror in front of her. Her mind drifted to the events that had surpassed just this morning –

_Riley: C'mon tell us Logan! How does Jasmine look? _

Mind whirling, her eyes grew wide seeing a black and white smirking Logan embedded in her mirror – she could only gape away as he spoke, _"Your nose looks about," and he mused as if estimating the right amount, "about an inch and a half longer in this golden-red colour combination." _

After he disappeared from the mirror, Jasmine unconsciously put a finger on her nose, moving her face to the left to show her left profile, and then repeating her actions to show her right profile in the mirror. His words just couldn't go out of her head – that taunting smile of his and nose comment had her mind in a whirlwind. That being said, she couldn't deny the fact that he had such a large effect on her that she couldn't shake off the thought of Logan and his comment about her nose. Plus, he was a guy after all… a stupid one at that – but what if Max thought that her nose looked longer too?

Jasmine abruptly stood up and recomposed herself as she heard Riley's voice behind her, presuming her to walk in. "You called Jasmine?" She asked nonchalantly.

"Ye-yeah." She nonchalantly started to fidget with an earring, bringing it to her earlobe as if trying it on for size. If only Riley could see the apprehension on Jasmine's face if her back wasn't turned to her. "I told you to call the tailor back, right?"

"Yeah, we called him, but you said the fitting was fine, right?" Her sister replied cordially as she and her cousin giggled over the beautiful dress Jasmine was going to wear tonight. It wasn't every day your older sister was getting married.

Swallowing her breath, she braced herself for the outburst that her sister and cousins would have at her following words – she stammered briefly before muttering in one big breath as if it was really no big deal at all – "The fitting's fine, the colour – it's not all that great."

Riley's jaw immediately dropped at her words, along with Jasmine's cousins who were standing with her. She couldn't be serious! "Jasmine! Don't you think it's a little too late?"

After getting no answer, she spoke again. "There's only NINE hours left to the wedding, and you're talking about CHANGING YOUR DRESS?!"

"Ye-eah so?" The tailor was the finest one in Gardenia. She was sure he could do it. "I'm sure the tailor can sew it up in eight hours."

Not able to take it anymore, she rushed up to her sister as she casually stood in front of her mirror as if this was no big deal at all. Hyperventilating, she roughly turned her around by her shoulders – had she lost it! "Jasmine! EIGHT HOURS!" She stressed, didn't she get it!

"Look. I don't want to curse my choice after seeing my wedding photo." She said affirmatively, and then looked away, pretending to fidget with the earring in her hand. "Oh, didn't Mom have that orange material? That'll look the best." She patted her shoulder, seeing that her decision was final now. Everything was set – it was perfect. "C'mon, go and call him."

"Okay." _I guess. If you say so._ Riley turned around and started to walk out her room, but stopped her footsteps midway. "Jasmine, I had my doubts, but now I'm sure of it. This is all because of Logan, right! I mean, you actually think that your nose – "

"ARE YOU CRAZY!" She burst as she whirled around to face her younger sister. NO. NO WAY. "I'm doing this for Logan?!"

Courtney blankly stared at Jasmine's peculiar outburst as she tried to reason that she wasn't doing this for him. But her behavior and body language was saying otherwise. Riley was right – even though Jasmine had refused to admit it, this had everything to do with Logan. Albeit he wasn't there, what he thought of her really did make a difference to Jasmine – his opinion was of value to her, though she would never admit the same.

"I just want to look good for Max." She slapped her shoulder and practically pushed her to go get the tailor when her phone started to ring.

"Talk of the angel and he rings," Riley teased as her eyes drifted toward the name on her caller ID.

Little did she knew that her so-called brother-in-law was no angel… as she would soon find out.

Jasmine smiled as she picked up her phone and put it to her ear. "Hello."

"Do you like red or yellow?"

"Umm… red?"

"And do you like gardens or rivers?"

"Why do you ask?" So random.

"I asked do you like gardens or river?" His tone was more affirmative and possessive, which yet again went unnoticed by Jasmine. She had been so clouded by her fantasies of her future married life together with Max that she failed to notice the sinister tone in his voice.

"Garden."

"Goodbye." Max immediately hung up after he got his future wife's answer.

"Hey – " Before she could have a chance to ask him why he was asking her these weird questions, he had already cut the call.

_Okay then_. She pressed the end button on her phone as well, and brought her arm to her side.

"What was that?"

Jasmine turned to face her sister upon hearing her voice. "I don't know. He was asking 'do you like gardens or rivers'."

Riley laughed at the same. _Weird._ And yet, she too didn't think highly of the matter.

While Jasmine, Riley, and the rest of her family ignored his bizarre call and went on with the rest of the wedding preparations, Max had a wicked smile on his face as he told his mother that Jasmine likes gardens.

A similar wicked smile formed on his mother's lips as she sat on a lawn chair in their lawn outside their extravagant and luxurious home. "Perfect." Today would mark a new beginning – for they had the golden egg that would lead them to riches – Jasmine Curda.

* * *

**Next time on BOUNDLESS:**

Showdown at the wedding venue, with just minutes to go before the ceremony begins.

Max shows a picture of Logan and Jasmine in each other's arms on a row boat at the New Year's Party, and Jasmine is appalled. He accuses her of having no character and having an affair even though she is engaged. It doesn't help that the police officer that arrested Logan and Jasmine days before turns out to be Max's maternal uncle.

Jasmine is shocked, but nevertheless holds her ground. If he was so riled up about this, then why didn't he just ask her? Why keep his insecurity in the dark until the freaking WEDDING DAY? "You could've just rightfully ASKED me about what the truth was, Max!"

"Why would he do that, Jasmine? Then how would they dare have the audacity to ask for 400,000 dollars on the wedding day?!" Riley shouted, she couldn't take it anymore. Tears were already flowing down her cheeks as Max continued to humiliate Jasmine and their family.

Jasmine is shocked yet again at the new revelation, and remembers back to a time when Shannon had handed over a box to Max's mother, saying it was a wedding token. It was now clear that that was no wedding token.

Max is shocked to the core, and gapes open wide-mouthed as Jasmine sends a blowing slap to his right cheek. His cheek stings of pain from the impact.

"I DO NOT accept this marriage." She firmly told him. His ego was torn to pieces as Jasmine called off their wedding. This wasn't part of the plan. Plus, how dare she raise her hand on him! Pure fury and anger filled his eyes as he glared at her, finding that she wasn't backing down at all. How could the tables have turned on him like that? HE was the male in this relationship, HE was to have the upper hand!

He would NOT live this down. By hook… or by crook.


	9. Trust

**Chapter 9: Trust**

High voltage drama had erupted at the altar, in which Max's father had nonchalantly demanded 400,000 dollars from Richard. Unable to agree to the same, Richard denied, as it was simply not in his hands to give such a hefty amount at such a last minute notice. Angered but deciding to use their trump card, Max's family in return accused Jasmine and Logan of having a questionable relationship on the sly – an affair behind everyone's back, even though Jasmine was engaged. In their eyes, 400,000 dollars was but a very small price to pay for accepting such a characterless and immoral daughter-in-law. Bob was shocked at the same, but yet still firmly denied the allegation, saying that Logan was his pride, and Jasmine his little girl – the epitome of purity. Furthermore, Nora confidently briefly crumbled the Fleming's confidence when she told Mrs. Fleming that Logan wasn't even present – he's long gone having fun with his friends in Bangkok. So the allegation of Logan maintaining an unjustified relationship with Jasmine was incredulous. However, it didn't help that Nora said nothing to defend Jasmine's side.

* * *

Oblivious to the showdown going on at the altar, Jasmine sat in her room, her hands folded in one last prayer before her marriage that would commence in just mere minutes. She wore an elegant yet simple white wedding dress, a silk pink ribbon wrapped around the chest area.

_My beginning is from you. _

Today would mark a new beginning, a new journey.

_My end is from you_.

From today, her whole life would revolve around her married life, her future husband – Max.

_My heart believes so…_

As she unfolded her hands and looked up, she thanked the Lord for bringing such a good man into her life – her hopes and aspirations began with him, and ended with him. She couldn't imagine a more better husband for her. He was everything that she had dreamt of.

However, God had different plans – everything that He did… He did for a reason. Unbeknownst to her, _her_ real prince charming had just entered the venue.

He walked in to the extravagantly decorated wedding hall, a familiar wide smile on his face as he strode through with his black and red duffel backpack on his shoulder. Charismatic, electrifying, magnetic was his aura. Logan was back. No matter how hard he tried to escape his fate, God had brought him back to where he belonged – where _she_ belonged… with _him_.

_Be it your tranquility, or your passion… _

_Be it your happiness, or your grief…_

_Whatever life I would live, I would live…_

_Whatever I would do, I would do…_

_Boundlessly. _

_Boundless – everything was to be __boundless_.

* * *

Max's mother continued to berate Logan and Jasmine and their supposed illegitimate relationship. "You aren't the only ones who are a respected family, Mr. and Mrs. Watson. Our allegations are not baseless. We are not fools to spoil the splendour of such a grand occasion for nothing."

Nora's eyes glanced out of the corner of her eye at a smiling _Logan_ walking down the aisle right towards the altar where she and the rest of the elders had been standing, where the heat of the argument was taking place between Max's parents and Bob and Richard. He was supposed to be in Bangkok right now, or at the very least L.A. What in the world was he doing here! Firm worry lines momentarily occupied her forehead. She managed to keep her cool an instant after, deciding that she would have to stop him before he comes to the altar any further. There was no way in hell she would let her son be dragged into this nonsense. He was already deemed as the reason behind the erupting drama in the first place.

"I have no interest in what you have to say, or in your issues."

Mrs. Fleming' mouth hung wide open as Nora spoke in an arrogant tone. She had nothing left to say and rolled her eyes as she walked away down the aisle.

Not having another second to lose, she swiftly walked down the aisle away from the drama, harshly turning his son away from the scene.

Logan was surprised to feel a harsh tug on his arm, and looked up to see his mother dragging him away down the aisle he just walked down, turning at a corridor he had just entered through.

"Mom! What gives?" He asked, curious at her odd behaviour. Had something happened?

"Just shut up and walk."

Confused at her behaviour but intrigued to know the reason behind her actions, he could do nothing but comply with his mother's command as she dragged him out the venue, under the night sky. She let go of him as they stood near Jasmine's decorative wedding banner 'Jasmine weds Max'.

"What are you doing here, Logan?" He was surprised at the anger in her voice. She'd never acted so hyped up before as far as he knew. She was a classy and dignified woman.

His eyes widened further and his brow perched upwards, surprised at her words, "I sent you away for Bangkok, didn't I! Then how did you come back?"

She sent him away? Meaning she didn't want him here for the wedding? But why? What was going on?

Her ranting didn't stop there. He did nothing but gape away with a blank face as she started to hyperventilate and rage, "WHY? Am I crazy to talk to your dad - convince him to let you go to Bangkok before the wedding? You have no concern for my feelings do you!"

"Mom... What happened? Why are you so angry?" His mother had never talked to him in this manner before.

"Because I want you to stay away from all this nonsense, Logan. Why can't you understand! Just, just _please_ get out of here!"

Something is wrong. Something is definitely wrong. "Mom. _WHAT _is going on in there." And it wasn't a question. He demanded an answer. Now.

Nora told her son a modified version of what had happened thus far, cleverly leaving out the most important detail - the questionable relationship between Logan and Jasmine.

"I'm not surprised." He knew it - he knew it from the very start that Max and his family were nothing but greedy leeches. He should've done something when he had the chance. "They always seemed to be the greedy type. But asking for dowry right before the wedding... I didn't expect _that_." How low could those low lives go?

His mother walked up to him as he stood a bit aways from her, trying to absorb the events. "That's the problem with these small towns, and these narrow-minded people."

He turned around to face Nora, and intently listened to what she had to say. "But you don't worry. Your dad will help out a little, and everything will be alright."

She consoled her son who was on the verge of getting riled up by the monstrosities that Max's family was causing. And Jasmine? The poor girl who was excitedly yet nervously sitting inside her room didn't even have an inkling of what was even going on. He was concerned for her - concerned about Jasmine getting married into such a greedy family. "How can everything be alright, Mom!" He exclaimed, causing his mother to become shocked at his outburst. "Jasmine getting married into _this_ kind of a home?! I mean, why such the big helplessness?!"

No matter what differences Logan and Jasmine might have - no matter how much they fought, Logan did care about her.

Nora gaped away at her son, appalled by his reaction. She had thought she made a very clever move. If this was Logan's reaction after only telling him of the dowry demand, she could only imagine what would happen if he knew what was really going on...

"If they want money _today Mom,_ who knows what they could ask for tomorrow!" If only Nora had told him that the drama going on inside was because of him and Jasmine's relationship.

"Logan." She firmly scolded him, determined to not let him involve himself in such matters. "You just let it be. And _GO _from here." Not wasting another second, she immediately called for a taxi. Despite Logan's insistence to go inside, she practically and forcibly seated him inside, and then left to go back inside.

* * *

Meanwhile, the arguments inside were only getting more heated up.

"Fine. Albeit your son isn't here right now, but he _does_ have a phone, doesn't he?" Max's mother roared at Bob who had still maintained a dignified stand. "Call him - call him and ask him - is what we are saying true or not!"

Bob kept quite as Mr. Fleming continued to wildly urge him to confront his son over the phone. Confident that his son would not fail him, he took his phone out of his pocket, dialling Logan's number.

Hearing a beep on the other line indicated to him that the phone had been answered. "Logan. Max's family is here at the altar, and they are saying that there is something going on between you and Jasmine, which is quite questionable and illegitimate. Is this true?"

Jasmine was stunned as Logan's phone was pressed to her ear. She could feel her vision becoming blurred - she couldn't believe her ears.

"I want to hear it from _you, _Logan. Tell me - is what they're saying true? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Her hand with his phone quivered with shock as it unconsciously lowered back to her body. _Il-illegitimate? _Bob's words constantly circled around her mind like no tomorrow, her body shaking. What was going on?

* * *

Everyone - guests, family members, and others - had now gathered around in shock at the evidence that Max had shown everyone – a photograph of Logan and Jasmine in each other's arms, minimal space between them. Logan was shown to intensely gaze into her eyes, while Jasmine had a bashful smile on her face as she looked down.

Unable to hold their ground seeing the photograph, Shannon and Richard become more worried to hear Jasmine's voice. They shift their eyes and are shocked to see Jasmine standing in her full form near a pew down the aisle, away from the crowd.

Frantic mother that she was, she briskly took no longer than a second to approach her daughter, gently asking her what she was doing here. "You are the _bride_, honey. Go back inside to your room."

"If I would've been inside Mom, I'd have never found out what's going on out here." She stepped forward and walked past her mother, down the aisle to stand before Max. "What were you saying about me and Logan?" She began.

"If there is absolutely nothing going on between you and Logan, then what is _this_?"

Shocked, her eyes grew wide seeing him raise his hand into the air, revealing the photograph for her to see. It was a picture of her and Logan, basking in each other's arms, minimal space between them as Logan gazed into her eyes, and she had a bashful smile on her face.

Her mind drifted to the night of the New Years' Party - to the event that led to this photograph. She was just about to fall off the rowboat, when Logan had caught her in time, whirling her around into his arms. She was just falling, and Logan was just helping her! But the angle that this photograph showed... That was saying quite something else.

Despite his blazing, triumphant eyes directed towards her, she countered, "please, Max," in an apologetic manner, "this is just a big misunderstanding! Please, you have to trust me!"

"_Trust?_ This word certainly had no meaning for you before our marriage, _right?" _

"Max - I swear. Whatever is being shown in the photo is wrong, there is absolutely _nothing _between me and Logan!"

Many a times, people used photographs as evidence in proving their accusations correct - but in this day and age of technology, even photographs could not be trusted. This particular photograph seemed to show Logan and Jasmine together but what was the truth? Logan had saved Jasmine from falling! Whether photographs were photoshopped or genuine - the third person could not rely on them because they were not aware of its underlying meaning.

"Oh really. Well I'm sure all of the people standing witness here beg to differ." He said to her in rebuttal, gesturing towards the crowd of countless people that had gathered around, their mouths hung wide open at the photograph.

Jasmine watched as her parents did nothing but stand mum as Max asked them with an icy numbness if _they_ could trust that the picture was indeed wrong. She marched straight up to her parents whose gaze had travelled up to her eyes as she pleaded to believe her. "Mom and Dad - this is all a lie!" Her voice showcased desperation ,"_Please_ believe me!"

"Bo-Bob. _Pleaase. _Your Jasmine - ", she took his hands into her heads, desperately pleading in an apologetic manner, "_you _believe that your Jasmine could never do something like this, right - you just _have _to believe me! Just once!"

Seeing nothing but a blank expression on the person she always confided in, her best friend, her _Uncle_ she never had, she felt dejected. No one was believing her.

Not admitting defeat, she tried again as she strode up to Max again. "I swear on The Lord, Max. Ever since I came to know you were my fiancé, you were the only one on my mind!"

To her dismay, he just rolled his eyes in return.

"You could've just rightfully asked me about what the truth was!" She wouldn't give up. He had to believe her.

"Why would he do that, Jasmine? Then on what grounds would they dare have the audacity to ask for _four hundred thousand dollars?!" _Riley violently intervened. She couldn't take it anymore - tears were already flowing down her cheeks as Max continued to humiliate Jasmine and their family. Also, she hated the way her sister was sucking up to him, pleading to him. She knew her older sister wouldn't stand for such a demand. "They're blackmailing Mom and Dad, Jasmine! Saying that the price to accept a daughter-in-law like you is at least 400K!"

She was not just a bystander; if she hadn't spoken up, then Jasmine would never have become aware of the real issue at hand.

Anger immediately filled her sister's face, and signs of apology or pleading was no longer visible. "You-you're asking for _dowry?!" _Her voice cracked as she popped the question, shocked that the man that was standing before her was not the man she deemed him to be.

"For _your_ misdeeds, even _four hundred thousand_ is less," barked Max's mother. "In fact, your parents should thank us for accepting you. They should lick our soles, kiss the ground we walk on!_" _

"Please shut up!" She rebuked her. Her patience was running thin. Especially when it came to her parents. "I _won't _tolerate a _word_ spoken against my parents. When _I _know that I'm not wrong, then _nobody_ has the right to raise even so much as a _finger_ on my mother and father."

Not able to bear the insults any longer, Max's uncle, who was also the police officer that had arrested Logan and Jasmine when he was pulling out her scarf on the Jeep, stormed out the venue into the cold, dark air.

* * *

When Jasmine began to address the issue at hand, rebuking Max and his disgusting thoughts and deeds, Nora intervened. She told her to stay mum, as this was between the elders of the families. Young ones need not be concerned.

However, Jasmine was not one to not take a stand, and just sit idly. "No Nora. If I remain silent now, then a waste is my upbringing. A waste is my going to school, to college - a waste is all of the education that my parents have given to me."

Madame Nora might appear to be a very contemporary, modern woman, but she was a very selfish one at that. Surely, she too disagreed with the concept of dowry, but of course she did not want this marriage to be broken off because of Logan's involvement in it.

"Let the child speak, Nora dear." Bob backed Jasmine up, "only _Jasmine _has the right to raise her voice now."

She nodded graciously and turned her attention towards the Priest standing witness to the scene, standing a bit aways from Max.

"I ask you, Father. Does Christianity give the permission for dowry? And if it does, then where is it written that the groom's family make demands for it so shamelessly?"

The priest answered with an endearing tone. It was clear that the ones who were being wronged were Jasmine and her family. "Dear child. Not only Christianity, but this is also against humanity."

Max turned his body towards the priest, interjecting, "albeit dowry is wrong, but this," roaring his voice at the following word, pointing his index finger at Jasmine as his back is faced to her, _"__adultery__ that she is committing! _Is that right?!"

Jasmine is stunned at his words as he turns back around to face her. "Four hundred thousand dollars is much less than the compensation for her deed!"

"Wow, Max! You turned out to be quite the seller! You mean, if what you say for Logan and I is true and if you get four hundred thousand dollars for compensation, then my deed is forgiven in an instant?! And for every mistake that I commit after our marriage, if you get your price compensation for it, then all my mistakes are forgiven!"

Max stays mum, as he has nothing to say in rebuttal to her words. "You put a price to everything don't you."

The hall was in a complete standstill hearing the echo of the definitive slap that Jasmine had just administered Max's cheek. Appalled at her actions, his mouth hung wide open and his eyes blazed with fury as his cheek stung of pain, reminding him of the humiliation he faced due to her.

"What price will you put to _this_ mistake." Her eyes were smouldering as she glared at the poor excuse of a man that stood before her.

The one person who was not gaping away at Jasmine's actions was her proud namesake Uncle. Bob had a proud expression on his face as his darling, spunky child gave him what he deserved. When a furious Max raised his hand to give his cowardly answer back to her, Bob immediately intervened - "don't you dare!" He seethed out in his ominous voice in a threatening tone. Yes, he could have stepped forward and had a stare down with Max. But he knew that his Jasmine was strong - she'd already proved it by giving a blowing slap to Max. She didn't need his help - she could fight her own battles.

"Who are _you_ to call off this wedding?" She addressed not only Max, but his whole family of greedy leeches. His mother and father let out loud surprised gasps at her words. "_I_ call off this wedding, this isn't a marriage but a deal! And that's why I _do not _accept you as my husband!"

Max's family had always thought they would have the upper hand, but they forgot that to get married or not is not only their decision, but also the bride's.

Shannon couldn't hold back her heartbreak, confusion, and frustration as she sobbed vigorously, wailing onto her husband's chest as he tried to provide her some solace. But the fact was, he was just as broken by the events as his other half.

Not able to see her parents state any longer, Jasmine stormed off back down the hall she came through, taking her tears with her.

* * *

A special someone had returned. Max's police officer uncle watched from outside the venue a taxi arrive. His eyes widened seeing Logan seated in the passenger seat, and immediately hid behind a decorated tree as Logan told the taxi driver to stop the car, and then got out. He eyed him as he hastily walked over to the driver, and he rolled his window down in return.

"Don't go anywhere - I'll be right back, I forgot my love inside."

Max's uncle was shocked further, unable to believe his ears as Logan dashed away, closer to the interior of the venue. He knew something was about to happen and it was the perfect moment to put a stop to all of this nonsense, and catch the culprit red-handed.

He thought that 'love' meant Jasmine, when in fact Logan was referring to his mobile phone.

Logan took a few steps inside, but then decided against it as his mother would scold him for returning. He made his way to around the back of the building, to a ladder leaning against the side of it. His hands were grasped around the ladder, as he looked up at the window above the balcony. "Looks like this is Jasmine's room." He took his first step onto the bottom grail, "I'll just climb up - nobody will know a thing," and made his up and in through the window.

Max's uncle followed him and hid behind another tree as Logan ascended the ladder, going straight into Jasmine's room. As he saw him, he got excited as all hell would _now_ break loose.

* * *

Opening the door to her room, she stepped inside, and after shutting it with a click she bolted it and just stood with her back pressed against it. Softly, she cried. Slowly, she shook her head and even as she finally unclenched her fists and felt a sharp sting of pain in the soft palms, her legs felt suddenly paralyzed, causing her to sink to the floor, soundlessly.

She was unable to collect her thoughts, which were now all over the place. She had called off her marriage. Her _wedding_. That wedding that she had only dreamed of. That Prince Charming - her hopes, her aspirations were all shattered into broken shards of glass the moment she learned of Max's true nature.

Incessant tears rolled off her chin as waterfalls of droplets cascaded down her glistening face. She was angry - angry at herself for believing in such a man... Of such a fantasized world.

But she then realized that that wasn't the reason for her tears. She didn't care that her wedding was called off. But the fact that because of the events that had surpassed, her parents' honour, reputation, and dignity was tarnished to ashes. She could do nothing but watch as Max and his family publicly ridiculed her and her family. She couldn't live with herself - a mere stain on her parents' integrity reflected a whole bunch of stains on her own integrity. Her parents were her world - her everything. She had no way to fix the humiliation that her parents had to face because of her.

After what seemed like eons, she started to hear repeated knocking on her door.

"Jasmine?" Riley's voice wafted to her, "Jasmine, Jasmine! Please open the door!" She began to get frantic with worry. "I'll go get mom!"

* * *

One could endearingly term him as 'an idiot.' Why? Because he was such a boy. He did stuff without thinking of the consequences. His actions were mostly dipped in harmless selfishness. Summarizing it, he never seemed as the mature type. A person could feel like face-palming over his bad-timing and the habit of being at the wrong place at the wrong time because it always brought trouble to others, especially Jasmine.

But that person would be wrong. For the first time, the man Logan Watson had emerged. The one Bob called his "pride". The man who Jasmine dreamed of as her soul mate. Today showed that he truly was so much more beneath the exterior of childishness. There resided a man there.

It started when he heard her sob and turned around to see.

Logan realized he forgot his phone in Jasmine's room, 'his love' per se, and climbed a ladder up to her room to get it; he saw his phone on her dressing table and picked it up; he was just about to leave when he heard quiet sobs from a corner in the room, and turned around to find her on the floor, hugging her knees, her back against the closed front door.

He could've gone but he chose to stay. Maybe because he was curious or maybe because he instinctively knew that something was wrong with her. He was genuinely concerned when he asked her the reason behind her tears. "Jasmine? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

And she? She was mad seeing the reason behind her parent's insult standing in front of her, asking oh-so-innocently why she was crying.

But he didn't know that, the man was still hidden.

He walked over to her petite shaken frame, kneeling down on his feet in front of her to her level as she dared not move a muscle. Concern dripping from his very body movement. Be it the eyes that had gotten soft or the safe distance between them. Distance enough that they were apart but proximity enough that she would know, _'hey, I'm here for you.'_

"Oh God. Max's family didn't – "

But in her mind there was a storm.

She glared at him profusely, but he was unaffected as he continued to speak as if everything that had happened tonight had no involvement with him – "Mom told me. Max's family was behaving weird or something? But why are you getting married into such a greedy family, Jasmine? I mean, why so helpless that you'll have to make such a big sacrifice for your whole life?"

A storm - of memories, of lies, of insults, of mistakes. And there was only one to be blamed.

Logan Watson.

She abruptly stood up, causing him to stand up as well, facing her. "Why did you come here." Her voice was flat, void of emotion.

"I forgot my phone here." He said innocently, unaware of what had just transpired.

"Not your phone, WHY DID YOU EVEN COME TO GARDENIA?!" She roared, her anger knew no bounds. She roughly grabbed the collar of his Jacket.

"Jasmine – " A calm yet livid Logan looked at her hand that had so roughly grabbed the collars of his Jacket, and then back to her as she let go of her hold on his collar, anger clearly in her eyes.

She confronted him, the still confused him. The still boyish him. The one who didn't acknowledge that his actions could have consequences. "Because of _YOUU_, Mom and Dad had to listen to so many disgraced words!"

"Jasmine, what are you saying?"

"Because of your _pranks_, your _behaviours_, your _actions_ – they've been humiliated in front of everyone!"

"Jasmine I – " He tried to calm her down, gently putting a hand on her shoulder.

However, before he could, she fiercely pushed his hand away. "Don't touch me. DON'T. TOUCH. ME."

She continued to berate him. "Why are you here? In my city, in my life, in my room?! Why are you in front of me? Why didn't you just go away?!"

And he still didn't know, why was he being asked those _questions_? What did he do so wrong by being there that she kept marking him as the sole reason of her family's mockery. "Jasmine, what did I even do?"

And then she said the words which shook his very soul as she bore her eyes into his with such intensity that he'd never seen before.

" You know what those people are saying? That me and you have a _thing_. They're putting such a heavy allegation on me! That before the wedding, **WITH YOU** I..."

And this was the exact moment when the man emerged. The shock and the anger and the split second it took him to register the impact of his words. Anguish reflected on his face - Logan may be a carefree guy with no respect for responsibility but he was not a spoiled brat. He may not know how to pray or go to Church every Sunday but that did not mean he didn't know which lines are not to be crossed. In his head, what he did was purely fun and in harmless teasing. In his selfish childishness, he didn't see his actions through others' eyes. But when it was spelled out to him albeit in an unfinished sentence, his reaction was that of a man. The kind of man who could take on the world if anyone dared to say something wrong about his dear and near ones. The kind of men who had fought wars and won. The man who had hot blood burning through his veins, ready to burst at the mere thought that someone intended harm to someone he held dear.

The kind of man who truly was called a Real Man.

But the child within him was stubborn. "WITH ME - ?!" Still finding an easy way out. She should've explained, she should've explained more, she should've made it clear that it was all a misunderstanding. "Didn't you tell them - forget being with each other, we could murder each other any second!" A joke from his side to her. A fight from her side to him. There was nothing here what they thought it was.

Then she came into play and he saw in her a woman. Not the kind he had flirted with or dated. But a woman so strong and complete that he said she could never exist. The one who was confronting him, the child him, not for her broken marriage but the insult of her parents.

"YOU THINK THIS IS A JOKE!" His pranks, his jokes, his carelessness was the reason she was being painted as a disgraced girl and her parents as shameless people. "I don't care about my wedding being called off. But what the HELL do I do about Mom and Dad's reputation and honour being torn to pieces! Huh! All because of YOUUU!" And just that thing, just her very basic concern for her parents brought out the guilt in him and in her he saw himself.

Wouldn't he be feeling so restless and angry if someone was the reason of _his_ parents' public insult?

_Doesn't it make them one of a kind?_

Her hands balled up into fists, she started to hit him again and again on his upper chest, frustrated with him. "I HATE YOU LOGAN, I HATE YOU I HATE YOU." She said the words repeatedly as she hit him, and she cried. He stood by initially and kept being hit. But by then, the man within had taken charge. She was right but she was so wrong. Her words were right, her anger justified but her actions were so wrong. Her blows wouldn't hurt him but only increase her pain, the helpless pain of seeing her parents be insulted. His apologies were of no use and maybe he knew. Maybe that's why he gathered her close and gave her what she needed the most at that time. A comforting hug as he brought her into his arms, her head against his chest.

A shoulder to lean and someone to say that she wasn't alone. He, as a man, admitted his fault. Something the childish him wouldn't do. In that moment, he truly was a man who apologized and meant it. "I'm sorry, Jasmine. I'm sorry." He said again and again. He didn't know his actions could have such dire consequences.

That broke her down even more. What was she to do when she didn't even have him to blame? He came out, he apologized. So she cried and he couldn't bear it. He consoled her, brought her closer still and in a calm soothing voice told her to relax and calm herself down. Like a real man would.

It stayed with him, the man hidden beneath was very much there when they were being accused of their actions together. He didn't stay quiet, he wasn't intimidated. He roared and he made sure everyone heard him. He was no pushover, then. He was Logan Watson. The man who knows what to speak and when he speaks, he knows how to shut everyone else up. Not every one can do it. Only a real man can.

Just like in that moment, he was.

And regardless of what tomorrow brings, the man he was today is proof enough that one day, surely, he will become what he can be.

Logan Watson.

Something much more real than just a name.

* * *

**Next time on BOUNDLESS:**

Shaken and distraught, Jasmine's father falls to the ground, unconscious.

"DADDDD/RICHYYYYYY!" Jasmine and her mother screamed, as Richard fell to the carpet floor, his hand clutching his heart.

_He-heart attack?! _

**-0-0-0-**

"Everything that has gone down is all because of you!" Logan said to Jasmine as she stood in front of Bob in the lawn.

Not more than a second passed that as soon as he said the words, he felt his father give him a violent slap across his face, causing his face and body to almost fall to the ground. His slap was THAT harsh.

Bob took no more than a second to take a hold of his wrist and violently, harshly drag him down the hall… right to Richard's room in his home.

He let go of his son as he whirled him around to face a weak, pale Richard lying on his bed. Shannon lay by her husband, while Riley sat on the corner of her father's bed, distraught by her father's delicate heart condition.

"_He_ has committed the mistake, and _he_ is the one who is going to pay for it. By _marrying_ Jasmine." Logan is stunned to the core as he looks at his father. He looked for any signs on his face to indicate that this was all a big joke… but he wasn't. He knew how delicate and serious this situation was, and just one look at the expression on Bob's face told him that this was no joke. He had to own up to his mistakes – for how long would he let his son's immature and impulsive nature go on like this?

Jasmine is shocked as she stands outside her father's room. _Marry? LOGAN?! _

What turn will this new revelation bring in Jasmine and Logan's lives? Will they agree to marry each other?

* * *

**A sincere thank you to you all – for encouraging me, for prodding me on, and for giving me the much needed confidence to write this chapter. It was by far the most difficult chapter I've had to write in my whole duration of fanfiction. **

**Hope you enjoyed reading this update. Do let me know your thoughts and reactions. Leave a review if you were satisfied. **

**Look forward to your feedback. **

**Cheers,**

**Kiya**


	10. Deal or No Deal? - Season Finale

Despite Logan and Jasmine's efforts to convince Max and his family, along with their own families, that what they were seeing wasn't the truth, Mr. and Mrs. Fleming left no stone unturned to further humiliate Shannon and Richard. Yes it looked like Logan was in an embrace with Jasmine, but he was only comforting her, providing her some solace from all the pain that _Max _and his kin had caused.

"I, and my Lord, know that I have done nothing wrong. And I also know - that my parents know that I could never do anything wrong." Jasmine proudly said. Nothing else mattered.

"Oh of course dearie. Clearly everyone that is standing in this room indeed do not have eyes to see what you two were doing just moments ago." Max's mother objected, rebuking her statement. Everyone had witnessed them together when Max's uncle took them all with him and barged into her room - her head on his chest, embracing one another, his hand on her head, trying to calm her down. Why, how incredulous. The shame of the girl to _still _not admit her unruly deed.

To satisfy their ego further, Mr. Fleming spoke, "what were you saying down there? 'I call off this wedding', and so on. Well I declare now - _I _reject your marriage with my son Max!"

"Why, my son can have thousands of women at his doorstep for marriage." She arrogantly added.

"_Can have?_ Why, I vow that I will get my son Max married in less than seven days! And that too, right here in Gardenia!" Mr. Fleming openly challenged. "C'mon let's go." Max and his family filed out the room, their heads held up high in arrogance.

As they started to leave, one look at his helpless daughter's face, and Richard knew what to do. Anger filled his features, and to Jasmine's surprise, he stormed out the room just moments after Max and his family had, furiously trailing behind them.

With hurried steps, Jasmine, along with her family and Bob, followed Richard out the door. However, it was getting hard to catch up to him as his anger knew no bounds. Again and again Max and his parents heard his roaring voice behind him, commanding them to stop, "Stop right there!"

His voice was so fierce that it caused Max to shudder, stopping him in his tracks as he stood in the centre of the grand hall of the main floor.

He turned around to face him as Richard angrily strode up to him, his chest heaving up and down from exhaustion. Max maintained an arrogant stand as he expected him to speak up.

Taken aback by the old man's actions, he staggered briefly as Richard caught him by the collar. The immense conviction that the man had towards his family caught him by surprise - no one could malign his daughter's name and get away with it that easily.

"Whatever filthy words you and your parents have said about my daughter Jasmine - those _allegations_, all those _accusations - _if _any_ of them prove to be true, then let the Lord take my soul right now!" His voice seethed of fury as he fiercely let go of the boy at his collar, taking a few steps back.

After the scene that he had just witnessed in Jasmine's room, he could have easily turned his back towards Jasmine and bowed his head down in shame. But no. He trusted his daughter wholeheartedly and stood by her. His bond of trust with his daughter was so strong that it couldn't be weakened merely by what he saw from his eyes.

"Because He knows - _I _know and my _Lord_ knows - what the _truth_ is and what a _lie_ is."

Richard's family proudly looked on at the faith that he instilled on his daughter. His wife, his younger daughter, and the apple of his eye, _Jasmine_. On the contrary, Max's police officer uncle had a sympathized look on his face, feeling bad for the fatherly love he bestowed, while his mother and father gaped away at him, their jaws dropped and eyes wide. How could someone have so much faith in their daughter even after all the evidences were against her?

He looked over at her daughter - her tear-stricken face, her broken dreams, her innocence. Her _pure soul_. "Yes honey, I know! My daughter is a pure soul!"

When he supported Jasmine, she let out a sigh of relief, and Richard had so much faith in God and in his daughter that he knew that only the best would be given to her. No matter what happens, no matter if the whole world turns upside down, but the faith he had in his daughter - _that_ would never waiver. _Never_**_. _**

Richard's brown orbs shifted toward Max yet again as he proudly said, "and that is why _my _daughter's wedding _will _happen. It _indeed _will!"

Max looked down as the old man in front of him spoke. His nagging voice was irritating him, _my_ daughter this, _my_ daughter that. Give it a rest, would ya old man. Nobody in their right minds would want to marry such an immoral and obscene woman such as his daughter.

"NOBODY can take away the dream of this father!" He roared, making sure he was heard. "I will _not_ let that happen." He vowed, vowed to get Jasmine married to someone far better than Max, and in a family that was much more reputed than Max's. And Max? He and his family did nothing but roll their eyes at his cry. "In such a family, with such a _deserving man - _which you people cannot even imagine!"

Richard showed immense trust in his daughter and upbringing, and never once looked at Jasmine with shame or doubt. And that was how every father should be: it wasn't a case of blind trust, but a case of 'no one knows my daughter better than I do and I know she would never break my trust'. The relationship that Jasmine and Richard shared was one of a kind - one where they shared complete trust in one another. Despite the allegations made by Max's family with the photograph fiasco and then furthermore witnessing the embrace between Logan and Jasmine, not once - not once did Richard suspect Jasmine.

"And _THAT _will be the answer to all your insults, my daughter's victory, and God's justice!" All the energy that he had left in him poured out in a flourish as he heaved his chest up and down, feeling his body starting to give up on him. He stumbled and fell down to the ground on his back, clutching his heart but not without sending menacing glares towards Max and his family as they walked out, uninterested in Richard's physical state or in his words.

He cried out profusely in pain, feeling his eyelids close, welcoming the darkness that was starting to encompass him.

"DADDYYYY/RICHYYYYYY!" Jasmine and her mother screeched at the top of their lungs, horrified at the sight of an unconscious Richard lying pale and lifeless on the carpet floor.

* * *

Moments of silence passed between the namesake Uncle and Niece as they stood outside the lawn at Jasmine's home. Both were worried, concerned. For Richard. He was currently weak and pale, lying in his bed in his room. The doctor had come, and he had suffered a heart stroke.

Bob stared out into the night sky, perplexed at the turn of events. Yes, he'd been the man in the situation and was the pillar of strength for Jasmine's family. He came out, stood strong, supporting them in their time of need. Convinced them that everything would be alright and Richard would be as good as new. But no one knew - he was just as distraught by the events tonight as Shannon and Richard were. How did this all happen? This night had indeed been a roller coaster, a cascade of events, where one had led to the other.

He was the first one to break the silence. "Jasmine dear, I've always considered you as my daughter. As much as your parents are hurt by what happened today, I am equally hurt. And I know that you could never do anything wrong, but what Max's family was saying..." He trailed off. He didn't want to believe it, but a very small part of him was doubtful.

His voice was hesitant and full of caution, "Logan and you... I mean, is there something between - "

"No, Bob! Not at all!" She vehemently denied. Never in a million years would she ever develop such feelings for the ill-mannered definition of Mr. Wrong.

"I know, Jasmine. I trust you, _I do_." But he was still curious. "But honey, how did this happen?" Max and his family seemed so sure about their allegation.

She stayed mum in return for brief moments before speaking up to explain. "Bob, it all started with a misunderstanding I had."

His eyes widened further when she told him how Logan made a joke out of her mistake. Was all this due to his son, his _darling _boy? "His actions, his behaviours led to the events."

Sadness was clearly felt in her voice as Bob looked at her with empathy. The remorse was clearly written on her face - the remorse of Logan and his wayward ways. Why couldn't he be more sensible, more matured?

"Actually, I thought Logan was Max."

Horrified, he listened on as Jasmine explained everything that had happened the past few weeks until tonight.

_"So this is Max Fleming." Jasmine said, his photograph in her hands as she looked at her perception of Max for the first time._

_-0-0-0-_

_"So tell me - yes or no." He asked as he stood in front of her at Snow Palace. _

_"Yes." Jasmine answered. _

_-0-0-0-_

"_Maxxxxx!" Jasmine immediately yelled as she felt herself being pulled towards him. She grabbed a hold of his shoulders to balance herself as she looked into his eyes and he looked into hers._

_-0-0-0-_

_Max stood in front of her, blocking her passage off the upper desk of the cruise at the New Years' Party. "You look really nice today." His lips were curved upwards in an earnest smile. _

_Jasmine rolled her eyes in return, avoiding his gaze. Who was this loser? "Thanks," she arrogantly grumbled as she walked away from him. _

_-0-0-0-_

_"Shall we?" She urged Logan as she stood beside him, and he in turn seemed to be engaged in a conversation with a man she was the least bit interested in. _

_"Sure." He in return grinned in a mischievous manner as he punched Max's shoulder playfully once again, and left the deck with Jasmine.  
_

-0-0-0-

Bob was shocked at her words, he didn't believe this.

But the story wasn't finished just yet.

_-0-0-0-_

"_SUPERB_!"

_Her face lit up at Logan's remark, her eyes wide with happiness. "Really? So your mom and dad will like it, won't they?" _

_"Of course." He continued to eat out of the bowl like no tomorrow.  
_

_-0-0-0-_

_Jasmine was pleasantly surprised when he started to use her scarf she had wrapped around her neck to wipe the remains of trifle on his lips. She lowered her gaze as he continued to wipe in a sexy manner. _

_-0-0-0-_

_"So what are your thoughts?" He inched closer to her, a charming smile playing across his lips. "About our future together?" _

_-0-0-0-_

_"Mother was telling me that you make quite a mean dish of trifle." Max told her. _

_"But you tasted it yourself." She replied cautiously. _

_"When did I taste it?" _

_Jasmine continued to gape in shock at a miffed Logan eating a hot dog in front of her as her phone lingered in the air, away from her ear. _

-0-0-0-

She started to get riled up while continuing to narrate to Bob. Her voice rose in pitch, still frustrated by Logan's actions.

-0-0-0-

_"Where are you and Logan? What time are you two coming home?" Shannon asked her daughter in a casual manner. _

_"Logan? Who Logan?" _

_"You know, Bob's son." _

-0-0-0-

_Minimal to nonexistent space existed between Logan and Jasmine as he leaned over his seat to inch even closer to her. His gaze still fixed on her with his soft eyes, he pulled on her scarf near her body, disentangling it from the tire. He was just about to abruptly pull back, leaving her flustered when an ominous, authoritative, and sneering voice entered his ears, causing not just Jasmine, but also himself to be flustered as they looked away from each other abruptly and at the police officer standing a few meters away from the vehicle. _

-0-0-0-

_"By the way, what did you say to the police officer that he let us go?" Jasmine raised her eyebrow at him. _

_"Oh nothing, just made a request with my cool dude attitude (popping his nonexistent collar), and he let us go." His lips curved upward into a smirk._

_-0-0-0-_

Bob looked at the ground silently, still trying to absorb everything that Jasmine had just told him. He had went from surprised, to shocked, to angered, and then to disappointment. Everything could be seen in his eyes. Was his son really the root of all the trouble he caused for Jasmine and her family? He couldn't believe that his son had really done all that Jasmine had told him! and that was clearly etched onto his face.

"Bob, me and Logan never got along, ever since we were little."

He stared into space, his mind wrapped around her words. Had Logan really done all that she had said?

"When we were kids, we used to annoy each other. Irritate each other. And we still do. But this time, Logan crossed the line." It was inevitable for the wedding to be called off - Max's family had demanded dowry, of course this wedding would never happen. The Lord would save her one way or another. "But why did Logan have to do all this, Bob? Why did he have to sneak up into my room?"

In an effort to calm her down, he put a hand on her shoulder in a pacifying manner.

He lowered his gaze from her, having no answers to her rhetorical questions aimed towards his son. For the first time, he felt _ashamed. _Ashamed of his precious son who he boundlessly loved.

"Despite knowing that I thought he was Max, why did he have to play with my feelings like that? And why did he have to say in the police station that day that - that I was his _fiancé_?"

"It _was_ necessary!" Logan's bellowing voice made Jasmine and Bob turn to face him as he stood by the open courtyard a few metres away.

Angered that she was putting all the blame on him, he marched over to the uncle-niece duo, glaring profusely at Jasmine as he faced her, standing beside his father. "I _had_ to call you my fiancé, or else we would've had to spend the whole night in the police station."

He had to clear the air. None of what transpired tonight was, in any way, his fault. "So don't blame me," he told her, pointing his finger at her. "Everything that has gone wrong is all _YOUR_ fault!" She herself was only responsible for whatever happened to her.

He came in, and declared it wasn't his fault. And this was the spark, to the firework of emotions waiting to burst.

Not bothered by her any longer, he turned to face his father - "Now dad, I was saying that - "

The result - a slap to his precious son. Dished out in the heat of the moment, yet out of love for Jasmine and her family.

Before he knew what was happening, Bob delivered a definitive slap to his son's cheek. He struck him with a sound like the cracking of a bullwhip. His hand stung from the impact as Logan clutched his cheek in shock and pain, his eyes wide at his father's horrific action. His violent slap was so harsh that his body almost hurled towards the ground if he hadn't held his feet steady.

He wasn't the only one shocked by his actions. Stunned, Jasmine gaped away with wide eyes as Logan slowly, painfully turned his face towards a glaring Bob, his hand still clutched on his cheek. Nora, too, was horrified as she watched a few yards away. She was just following his son when she witnessed her husband's unforeseen action.

"What did I say - go and live a little in Gardenia for me." He was deeply hurt by Logan's behaviour.

Logan was still shocked that his father had _raised _his hand on him. Still stunned, as his father spoke to him, he involuntarily let go of his hand on his cheek as he stood back up to face his father, his back straight again. _Wow my son, how greatly you've heeded my words. _

Nora strode up to her son, putting a hand on his shoulder. She had to stop Bob before he did anything else to hurt her son. "Mr. Bob, you _raised _your hand on - "

But Bob stopped her right there. This time, no ifs, no buts. "Nora dear." He firmly scolded. "Today you will be quiet. Today, Bob Watson's _pride _has been _shattered_."

Logan looked down in slight shame as his father looked at him, clearly tremendously hurt by _him_. "My _trust_ has been broken. And until this day, this has never happened because _I've _never trusted someone so much."

Logan's breath stopped in his lungs as he dared not look up at his _darling. _Somewhere, the man inside him knew he was responsible for all the events, but the boy inside him refused to admit the same.

"Joshua is my son, but _he," _Bob continued, "HE has always been my weakness."

He continued to look down at his father spoke. The words that came out of his mouth were clear and precise. Bob knew what he wanted and what Logan needed to hear, and he did exactly that.

"He flunked in _school_, then in _college_. But I still overlooked every mistake of his. I forgave. Because," he roared, "_I knew _that one day, one day he would surely succeed in the test of life."

Logan looked down again, he couldn't believe what his father was saying. He'd never talked to him like that in his whole life. Nora looked at Bob as he spoke to her son in such a harsh tone.

"I sent you to _my_ place. In that home - that home for which Bob Watson is willing to do _anything_."

Logan looked up again.

Bob looked at the dried tears on Jasmine's face, as if they were never really there. _She_ had indeed been the man of the house, not once letting her pain, her suffering be shown to her family. But her namesake uncle had seen through her facade, and there was only one person responsible. "_You_ are responsible for this poor girl's suffering. _You_ are responsible for Richard's and your Shanz's suffering."

But Logan didn't agree. How was it _his _fault - Jasmine was the one who thought he was Max. What did he do? "Dad -" he managed to choke out.

"DON'T," his eyes emanated fury, "UTTER. ANOTHER. WORD. I don't want to hear one more lie from you."

Nora narrowed her eyes at her husband in surprise as he declared, "I've made a decision, and everyone will have to follow through with it."

"Come with me," he rashly grabbed a hold of his son's wrist, dragging him away from his wife and Jasmine.

"Mr. Bob, you're just making a joke out of your son!" But it was too late. He had already begun marching away inside the house.

* * *

Before he knew it, his father harshly dragged him down the halls of the home, right to Richard's room.

He let go of his son inside Richard's room as he whirled him around to face a weak, pale Richard lying on his bed. He could barely manage to lift his head to look up at a sullen Logan whose gaze was directed towards the floor. In fact, he couldn't make eye to contact with anyone in the room - the image of an almost dying Richard, a shaken Shannon, and a tear-stricken Riley as she sat in the corner if her father's bed, distraught by his delicate condition - made guilt fill him by the rim.

"This is the one who hurt you beyond measure, right?"

Meanwhile, Nora decided to rush after her husband before he declared his 'decision'. Who knew what he was thinking - she just hoped he wouldn't do anything rash. She heard her husband's familiar voice as she stood right behind the door. The tension in the room was as thick as mud.

"_He_ has committed the mistake," his eyes blazed with fury and disgust as he glared at his son, "and _he_ is the one who is going to pay for it."

Nora felt on the edge, apprehensive and yet having anxiety about what Bob was getting at. She just hoped he wasn't going to do what she was thinking he was. He couldn't. He wouldn't... would he?

"Jasmine's happiness, _your _honour - _he's_ stolen it. So _he himself _will return it to you."

And in the next sentence he spoke, he had dropped the beautiful bomb - "Today. Right this moment. By _marrying _Jasmine."

Speechless - that was the word that summed up what he was feeling.

Remorse. Guilt. Pain.

Just hearing the mere word 'marry' was enough for Logan to widen his pupils, looking up from the ground. He was stunned to the core as he looked at his father. He looked for any signs on his face to indicate that this was all a dream, a big joke - but he wasn't. Just one look at the glowering expression on Bob's face told him that this was no joke.

He had never experienced a wide array of emotions in his life before. First, calmness as he simply looked down, unaware of Bob's decision; then shock at his words; and then - he felt frozen, unable to fathom that his father would do this to him.

Nora was equally affected by his words, along with Richard and his family. Indeed, this would change life as they knew it for both families.

No sooner than Bob had declared his decision, Jasmine stood right behind Logan. She was stunned, shocked as her favourite Uncle's words echoed into her ears - "_he has committed the mistake, and he is the one who is going to pay for it. By marrying Jasmine." _Her eyes became moist with tears once again - these words hurt more than the allegations that Max and his family had instilled on her and her family.

Pain clearly reflected on both of their faces. So much so that if one could zoom into Logan's eyes, they were clearly red and filled to the brim with hurt.

* * *

Marriage. Wedding. A bond that bound two individuals for life, for all eternity. The mere words and thought itself irked him, boiling his blood. Nothing angered him more than when he was confined, forced into doing something he didn't want to do. He was a free bird, meant to soar without any chains shackled to his feet. And now, in a single moment, his father had declared for him to be involved in the very thing he hated the most.

Logan did not acknowledge or prioritize anything but his parents and his luxurious life with no rules or regulations. He liked to live and that too freely with anyone perhaps. He was just one out of the other millions of guys who believed, strongly that too, that love was just a word and there was no possible way that you could possibly live with one person your whole life. Spending a lifetime with a person, was a concept that he never bothered with, it just wouldn't process into his brain. But when his father stated in front of everyone that his son would fix this issue by marrying Richard's daughter, he was shattered, shocked, distressed.

Hell, he was only 24! Only 24 years old! The time to live it up, no responsibilities, no burdens on his shoulder. Why did his father make such a rash decision? Didn't he care about him? His happiness? What HE wanted? He always did, from the time he was born until his shenanigans in London, his father never once scolded him. He was his Darling. Until bloody Jasmine came along. Never in his whole life had his dad raised his hand on him - but in the blink of an eye - just because of that Jasmine - he did. A bloody slap that had almost hurled him to the floor.

Jasmine. This was all her fault. SHE was the one who mistook him for Max, then why was HE the one being punished? Fine, granted that he should've told her sooner, but it was just a harmless prank - a practical joke. He meant nothing by it.

Bob tried to lovingly make him realize that there was a limit - a time and place for pranks. He should have thought of the consequences his actions could have. However, clouded by sadness and frustration, Logan failed to see his fault.

He even made an attempt to reason with his father. Why him? Why did HE have to marry her? Couldn't they just stay back in gardenia for a couple days? Find her a nice boy that would keep her happy AND her family. Problem solved.

He still remembered his father's reply_. What was the guarantee that the boy they find would be able to keep Jasmine happy?_

_There's no guarantee for that for ANY guy._

_But I can make a guarantee for one boy, and he's sitting right in front of me. _

He had turned away at his father's words, refusing to acknowledge even the notion of being joined with her. Why was he hell bent on ruining his life! He was wrong. He would never be able to make Jasmine happy, nor would he be happy himself. He couldn't stand her know-it-all attitude and spunky nature - how was he supposed to spend his whole bloody life with her?!

* * *

Wedding. Marriage. She always thought of it as a pious bond that bound two hearts for a lifetime. Marrying a man that she would boundlessly love, and he her.

When Jasmine had seen Logan's picture, thinking it was Max, her heart quickened, and she could almost imagine her life in front of her just the way she had described two nights before to her mother and sister. If she had her Prince Charming with her, she was even willing to live in scum - because love was all they needed to make a home. Her luxury lied in him, and as long as he was with her, she was the richest person in the universe. She believed it really did happen - love really did happen, and when it did, you could just feel it.

And then it all came crashing down. In the blink of an eye, her dreams became broken and shattered.

But that didn't mean she would succumb to marrying _him. _He wasn't a rebound that just because it didn't work out with Max, she'd have to marry Logan. Marriage wasn't a joke, for God's sake, where you break it off one second and then joined with another the next.

Her mother had tried to make reason with her - this was Bob's decision. He had done so much for them, we couldn't just disrespect his decision. And she was sure Bob didn't make this decision on a whim.

But what about _her_ happiness? What _she_ wanted? Didn't that matter even 1%? Wasn't_ she _the one getting married? Her whole life was at stake.

She would never be happy with Logan. He hated her, and she hated him. That was that. Heavens, they irked each other ever since they were little. They weren't right for each other. How could she marry a man - no not a man, a boy - who was a complete Casanova, an immature and impulsive boy who never takes life seriously. Living with him would be equivalent to living in hell.

Her mother had questioned her further - then what was she going to do? Stay single at home forever - for her whole life?

_I don't know. _She had no answer. But all she knew was that she would stay single at home for her whole life if she had to - but marry Logan? NEVER.

Her mother didn't stop there. She tried to tell her - tell her that the groom returning from the aisle wasn't a good thing in Gardenia. It was such a small town to begin with, and news here would spread like fire. Perhaps marrying Logan was a good solution, and on top of that, she was marrying Logan, the apple of her eye. He was a gem.

Jasmine understood that. She gets it. But that was exactly the point! If she marries Logan, then all the allegations, the accusations put on her about having an affair with him would come true. And she would NEVER let that happen. Not in a million years.

Who knew that the guy she thought to be her future husband would soon turn out to be her future husband, but in such a way that she'd rather seek death.

* * *

"Bob. You were my best friend, I thought you loved me. If you did, then you wouldn't think about marrying me off to Logan." She told her favourite person as he calmly stood in front of her in her room. Out of all people, she thought at least Bob would understand. Why was he doing this? No one was with her - she'd been left all alone.

"Jasmine honey," he started as he lovingly placed his hands on her shoulders and brought her into a hug. "First off, I _wasn't _your best friend, I still _am. _And I always will be." He told her as he pulled away. "Whenever I'd chat with you on skype, I'd always tell you that I'd find the best guy in the world for you. I did, didn't I?"

Jasmine feebly nodded her head in return. "But I guess I got so busy in my work, that I forgot my promise to you. And then whatever happened here... After that, I felt that yours and Logan's marriage should happen." His words caused her to look up in surprise. He wasn't making any sense.

She was further perplexed when he told her that this wasn't just _his_ decision, but that The Lord had placed the notion in his heart. He backed his statement further, saying that no one was forcing her to get married to Logan. She had the full right to whether or not accept Logan as her husband. That there was no family pressure on her and the decision would be hers, and solely hers.

And with that, he left her room for her to reminisce on his words.

However, before she could, a flying paper ball clunked onto her desk.

Curious and intrigued, she walked over and picked up the ball in hand, unwrapping it to reveal a brown coloured small rock. Throwing it away, she looked at the words on the paper that had wrapped the rock.

_Jasmine, I want to talk to you. I'm waiting for you in the backyard, on the lawn. - Logan_

* * *

Logan was growing impatient - where was she? She should've been here by now? She _did_ read his letter, right? He continued to pace back and forth on the lawn outside her home.

And then he was startled and froze as he saw her standing in front of him, and she was just comparatively normal, curious even. Why did he call her here?

Then it all began to sink in - just what had happened to them in the past hour or so. Both of them looked away at the same time. It wasn't without awkwardness. There was hesitation, a little guilt, and some discomfort.

Then he started to speak, and there was a definite shift in emotions. He wanted to get it over with and done, and she listened to him with a kind of steely face, like she knew that whatever he was going to say wouldn't affect her.

"Jasmine I can't marry you. Why did I even come back to get my phone - I'm stuck in such a mess, man."

She raised her eyebrow at him, at his still immature behaviour.

"I'm just not marriage material! You know, more than 50 of my friends got married, and all of their lives are ruined!" From his male perspective, he felt his freedom being snatched away from him. He was pretty darn sure he wouldn't be able to get away with going to Bangkok and partying with his friends until the break of dawn after he was married. "But _I _can't get ruined - and that's why I can't marry you." And on top of that, marrying _Jasmine? _A girl he differs in so much attitude and opinion with?

_You gotta be kidding me. THAT'S his reasoning, typical idiotic Logan. _

She changed her body language. Like she was the strong resolve and she was daring him to continue.

"And what, you think I'm _dying _to marry you?!" She told him, hand on her hip. Her thought about their union was the same as his, she ain't interested in all that.

Regardless of whatever had happened between them in the matter of days, the equation between them from their childhood hadn't changed one bit. They still got on each other's nerves. Even if the world turned upside down, that wouldn't change anytime soon.

"Exactly, Jasmine! When neither of us wants to marry each other, then why don't you just deny this marriage?"

"I already have." She spat back, glaring at him. "To mom, to Bob, but - "

"I know. Dad isn't in a mood to listen to anything right now." He mused as he looked down, and then back up at her. "You know this whole wedding nonsense is going on for Richard. Just because dad promised him that he would get you married _today_."

He nervously looked her up and down, "I'm asking for your help for the first and last time. Jasmine, you're the only one who can stop this wedding."

Me? What new thought did this idiot think that she didn't? "How?" She urged him further, her confident stand still remained.

"By telling Richard that you don't agree with this wedding." He tried to read her face as he said the words, she wasn't saying anything. "Just-just convince him anyhow! If Richard is convinced, then Dad will automatically be convinced as well. Our future is at stake, Jasmine - stop this wedding."

Both of them had a stare down. She crossed her hands across her chest, "I'll go tell Dad right now and say no. This wedding won't happen."

"Promise?" He extended his hand toward her for an official shake on it.

She precariously eyed his hand, and then back up towards Logan, whose lips were on the verge of curving upward.

"Promise." She shook his hand as her words echoed into her ears, and his lips fully curved upwards into a smile. Albeit it seemed like a simple business negotation, it wasn't. It was a promise to him, an oath that he was sure she'd stick by. He was sure of it.

"Thanks." He told her as they slowly let go. "And _I _promise that after today, I'll never be trouble for you again."

The deal was sealed - she would tell her father that she wasn't ready for this marriage. The duo gave each other an 'it's a strict business only' kind of a look. Like it was their last conversation before they said goodbye to each other forever. It didn't end on a happy note, or on a bitter note - just on a normal one. The kind that said - no hard feelings?

Both walked past each other, away from the other. Meant to never cross each other's paths again.

But then they stopped. Both of them stopped at the very same second. Like something, fate maybe, compelled them to stop telling them that the business that they thought was over was still unfinished. A nagging feeling resided within both of them. It was like she instinctively knew that he had words to speak, and he knew that she was there to listen.

Both of them turned around at the same time. Action and reaction. 50/50. Equal ground.

"Sorry." Despite his apologies when she was breaking down, he apologized to her again. Because the situation had changed. He was man enough to know that his apologies then and his apology now was drastically different. Because then his apologies were made only to calm her down. But now, his apologies would be answered.

"It's okay." And it was. She truly let it pass away. No grudges, no hatred.

What was it that was between them that concern and basic manners still breathed with all the dislike that they shared for the latter?

Now putting an ending note to their conversation, they turned back around, determined to never let each other cross their paths again.

* * *

She stood at her father's door, determined to walk in and declare her decision to him. Before stepping inside, she glanced at him as he violently coughed vigorously, his body hurled over his bed. The doctor sat with him, and despite his pleas to please let him take him to the hospital, Richard denied, saying that he would only go once he hears Jasmine's consent to her marriage with Logan. Upon knowing that his daughter's happiness was restored, her dreams awakened, only then would he think of leaving this bed.

* * *

A happy Logan leisurely walked into Richard's room. Jasmine sat at the foot of his bed, facing her father as he sat upright. He walked in just in time to see him giving a tender kiss to his daughter's forehead. Relieved, he was glad Richard was feeling better. But he was more so relieved seeing his happy face that Jasmine must've told him no, and now he had nothing to worry about. He could go on living his life the way he'd always imagined, and pretend coming to Gardenia, the whole drama and showdown as just a bad dream.

As he pulled his lips away from his precious gem's forehead, he smiled. His smile grew wider seeing Logan at his door, and he looked to his wife beside her who had a similar grin adorning her lips. Ecstatic, he called out to him to come in, "Logan! Come in, son. C'mon." He beckoned him to sit beside Jasmine at the edge of his bed.

Logan gladly walked in and did as told as Richard let out a few violent coughs out his mouth. Taken he was happy, his happiness knew no bounds, but his health was still deteriorating by the minute.

"Logan, what Jasmine's saying - I mean, this wedding - " He wanted to make sure that what his daughter had told him was true.

"Richard. Please, just rest." Logan stopped him midway, taking his hand in his. He needn't get excited, his health would only worsen. "Anyway, I won't be able to explain my point of view to you."

While Logan's happiness was clearly written on his face, Jasmine was a different story. She nervously, apprehensively, kept moving her pupils left and right, getting more and more nervous with each word Logan spoke. Tension lines were clearly visible on her forehead as Logan told Richard that once he _would_ listen to his point of view, he would understand where he was coming from.

Richard managed to smile and let out a breathless laugh at the boy in front of him. He was glad to hear that Logan was okay with all this. Now he had no tension, no worries - everything was going to be all right. "Jasmine honey just told me, that you two are ready to get married."

Immediately, Logan was shocked and looked over at Jasmine angrily, who had guilt written all over her face. His smile vanished in an instant, and a thin line on his lips formed as she turned away from him, her gaze directed towards the bed sheets, lowered downwards. Shock sunk in that Jasmine agreed, and that added to his hurt - that his last thread of hope broke due to the same person whom he trusted to hold it with all her strength.

He felt dejected, stumped that she had betrayed him like this. She'd PROMISED. If there was one thing that Logan was committed to - that was a _promise_. It was an oath, meant to be kept. Under any circumstances. But Jasmine? She'd broken it like it was nothing.

He couldn't believe it. Anger and shock was written all over his face, while guilt consumed Jasmine's. She had changed her decision at the last moment and sacrificed her happiness for her parents'. The promise she'd made to Logan wasn't just a simple business deal. As the word spoke for itself, it was a _promise _she made to him, the one which was broken, the root of the hatred.

She wasn't able to meet his eyes, the guilt was too much. Her eyelashes lowered, she could only imagine how much hatred was seething inside his eyes right now - she didn't dare look up.

But then she finally decided to woman up, and look up at him with an apologetic face.

Their eyes spoke everything as they looked at each other. Shattered. Heartbroken.

His eyes conveyed so much pain, anger, and the feeling of betrayal; her eyes showed how helpless she really was.

He felt hatred for her. But more so, anger, pain, and deceived. She on the other hand had been pressurized by the cirucmstances, and so felt guilt, helplessness, and heartbreak of knowing she would never have her fairytale happy ending. She knew getting married to Logan would be equal to going to hell where he would make life hell for her, but she was ready for it. As long as it meant that her family was happy. Her _father_ was happy.

Initially, he felt angered. But then, he just felt heartbroken. His life was ruined, destroyed, over as he knew it.

She stole glances at him as he looked away with pained eyes. Both of them stayed mum as Richard endearingly placed their hands in each other's, _it was a perfect fit. Indeed, this was the will of the Lord._

_Y_es they hated each other before, but it was more of a Tom and Jerry kind of hate, a lighthearted, fun neighbour rivalry kind of hate. But now? It had surpassed far beyond that. A new level of hatred, a new level of extremity where everything would change.

A new level of - _boundless_ hatred.

He looked at her again, questioning her with his eyes why she did this to him. She knew how much he didn't want to get married. And she? She avoided every single question, lowering her eyelashes towards the ground. But his gaze didn't waver, it was smoldering, directed only at her. And she was just as stubborn, a tear escaped through the brim of her lower eyelid as she looked ahead at a joyous Richard and ecstatic Shannon and Riley, anywhere but at him. She couldn't bare to see the hatred in his eyes for her.

"Richard." Richard turned his head towards Bob who stood at his door. "The priest has graced us with his presence. Let us begin with the preparations of the wedding."

His happiness knew no bounds as he looked at the duo in front of him, looking at each other. Still in euphoria at the thought of the union of his precious daughter Jasmine and Logan, who he always considered a son, he failed to see the misery and anguish in his children's eyes as they looked at each other.

"Glorious is God." Richard declared, his hands lifted into the air, upwards.

She looked at him one last time as he tore his gaze away from her harshly, heartbroken by Richard's words. She felt for him, she really did. She couldn't bare seeing him like this, albeit he irked her, he irritated her, but she knew him well enough to know that she couldn't even begin to fathom the anguish, pain, and agony he was going through. And she gazed at him in an apologetic manner - she was sorry, she really was. But she knew now that it was too late. The actions had been done, the words had been said. Nothing could change now.

And thus began a new journey - a journey that began with BOUNDLESS hatred.

And whether this _boundless_ hatred would ever lead to _boundless_ love... that was left to be seen. To be unraveled.

No matter what, no matter how the equation between Logan and Jasmine would be, no matter what emotions they would emote for the latter - all of it was forever and always to be -

_Boundless._

* * *

**_And there you go! Logan and Jasmine are now embarking on a new journey together - bound by marriage, they have boundless hatred for each other now. Will this boundless hatred ever turn into boundless love?  
_**

**_This is the last chapter/episode of season 1. Next chapter will be posted as the first chapter in Season 2. _**

**_In season 2, the aftermath of the wedding will unfold, as well as the new dynamics of Jogan's new relationship. Lots of different shades to their bond - humour, angst, romance, fluff, this is just the beginning! :D _**

**_You'll get to see heated drama at Jogan's wedding reception and a drunk Logan, a one month challenge between Jogan, a passionate valentine's dance between the duo, Jogan going in disguise to a gangster's party on a secret mission, jealousy galore, Logan getting into a car accident, Jogan celebrating the festival of colours together, Logan's long-lost sister Lindy also coming into Logan and Jasmine's lives, and lots more! :D _**

**_If you want Season 2 to unfold, please don't forget to leave a review and let me know! 100+ reviews for the second season! :D _**


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